Primary hepatic angiosarcoma: A retrospective analysis of eight cases

• Published in: Annales de pathologie Vol. 34; no. 6; p. 462
• Main Authors: Cazorla, Arnault, Félix, Sophie, Delabrousse, Eric, Valmary-Degano, Séverine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01-12-2014
• Subjects: Aged; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Child, Preschool; Combined Modality Therapy; Doxorubicin - therapeutic use; Hemangiosarcoma - chemistry; Hemangiosarcoma - diagnosis; Hemangiosarcoma - drug therapy; Hemangiosarcoma - etiology; Hemangiosarcoma - pathology; Hemangiosarcoma - surgery; Hepatectomy - methods; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - chemistry; Liver Neoplasms - diagnosis; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Liver Neoplasms - etiology; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Vinyl Chloride - toxicity; Angiosarcome; Exposition toxique; Survie; Angiosarcoma; Primary hepatic location; Survival; Exposure to toxic substances; Localisation hépatique
• ISSN: 0242-6498
• DOI: 10.1016/j.annpat.2014.10.004

Angiosarcoma is a malignant tumor of vascular endothelial cell origin. Primary hepatic angiosarcoma is rare, most often associated with chronic exposure to toxic substances. The diagnosis of angiosarcoma is based on histological examination. Presenting symptoms are nonspecific, including abdominal pain, impaired general condition and fever. Primary hepatic angiosarcoma is a fast-growing tumor and the diagnosis is usually made at an advanced stage of the disease. The prognosis is poor. Surgical resection is recommended as the curative choice in localized forms, highlighting the key role of screening programs of occupational medicine that may help to diagnose tumors at an earlier, localized stage. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are considered to have a limited efficacy. Here, we report a series of eight cases of primary hepatic angiosarcoma diagnosed at the University Hospital of Besançon between 2001 and 2012. Clinical, radiological, histological and therapeutic characteristics of the patients are described and analyzed.