Radiation therapy for angiosarcoma
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Updated: Sep 20, 2026
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Gynecologic Cancer
Published on: April 17, 2012
Jon R Ward1, Steven J Feigenberg, Nancy Price Mendenhall
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Health Science Center, 2000 SW Archer Rd., Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA.
Background:
Between 1964 and 1998, 19 patients with histologically proven angiosarcoma were treated with curative intent with radiation therapy.
Methods:
Median follow-up was 37 months (range, 8-234 months).
Results:
The actuarial 5-year absolute survival and local control rates were 51% and 50%, respectively. Of 12 patients who relapsed, 8 had isolated local recurrence as the first site of treatment failure, 2 had local (1 patient) or regional recurrence in conjunction with distant metastases, and 2 had distant metastases alone. Two of four patients who underwent further therapy for recurrent disease were successfully salvaged.
Conclusions:
Only the location of the primary tumor was a predictor of local control and absolute survival at 5 years. Angiosarcomas located on the scalp imply a dismal prognosis compared with those in other locations with the predominant pattern of failure being local recurrence. Patients should be treated aggressively with surgical resection and preoperative or postoperative radiation therapy.
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