Primary Cutaneous Angiosarcoma of the Scalp with Cranial Invasion in a Patient with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Idiopathic cutaneous angiosarcoma (CA) of the head and neck is a distinct subtype of angiosarcoma most commonly presenting as a single or multiple purple, bruise-like patches that arise de novo and enlarge over several months. In clinical practice, both misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are frequently encountered. Here, we present a case of idiopathic CA on the scalp with invasion to the cranium in a patient with breast cancer metastatic to the brain. The patient was initially misdiagnosed and mistreated with herpes zoster and breast cancer metastatic to the skin, which led to a delayed diagnosis by two months until dermatologic evaluation. The diagnosis was then firmly established as CA based on consistent clinical and histological features. Since the tumor was inoperable, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were been considered as the appropriate adjuvant modes of therapy. Despite an initial favorable response, the disease demonstrated a rapidly progressive course and the patient succumbed to the disease within six months. This report briefly reviews the clinical and histological portrait and management options for this aggressive tumor.