The rapid onset of cutaneous angiosarcoma after radiotherapy for breast carcinoma

Malignant neoplasms known to develop following external beam radiation include squamous cell carcinoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, mixed mullerian tumors, malignant schwannoma, myelogenous leukemia and angiosarcoma. Latency periods of many years characterize the onset of these tumors following the exposure. Cutaneous angiosarcoma following radiotherapy for breast carcinoma has been rarely documented, occurring up to 13 years postirradiation. Two cases of this entity are reported occurring 37 months postradiotherapy at the site of mastectomy performed for mammary duct carcinoma.