Metastatic angiosarcoma of the brain

Two patients with metastatic angiosarcoma of the brain are described. In one, a 17-year-old man, the tumor was located at the pineal region and exhibited significant vascularity. It was sensitive to radiation therapy and disappeared after radiation of 50 Gy; however, it recurred after 1 year and a new lesion was found in the liver. The other patient is a 31-year-old woman who experienced sudden onset of headache. Computed tomography scan revealed three separate masses in the brain. One tumor was surgically removed. The other two were sensitive to radiation therapy and disappeared after radiation of 40 Gy. A new lesion was found in the femur 16 months after the operation. Brain metastasis from angiosarcoma is exceedingly rare. Both patients developed symptoms with intracranial hemorrhage. The diagnosis of the metastatic lesions preceded diagnosis of the primary lesion by 12 and 16 months, respectively. Ulex europaeus 1 lectin and factor VIII were very useful in establishing the diagnosis of angiosarcoma.