Biomaterial Database

A rare late complication of breast cancer treatment. 1993

W D Clements, and S J Kirk, and R A Spence

Department of Surgery, Queen's University of Belfast.

In 1948 Stewart and Treeves recognised and described six cases of lymphangiosarcoma arising in the oedematous upper limb of patients who had previously undergone radical mastectomy and radiotherapy for breast carcinoma. The incidence of lymphangiosarcoma in such patients is 0.45% and is uniformly aggressive and fatal, with a 5-year survival of less than 5% regardless of the treatment modality. We present a case report to increase the clinical awareness of this rare and fatal iatrogenic complication occurring subsequent to breast cancer treatment, and speculate on ways of improving survival.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008197	Lymph Node Excision	Surgical excision of one or more lymph nodes. Its most common use is in cancer surgery. (From Dorland, 28th ed, p966)	Lymph Node Dissection,Lymphadenectomy,Dissection, Lymph Node,Dissections, Lymph Node,Excision, Lymph Node,Excisions, Lymph Node,Lymph Node Dissections,Lymph Node Excisions,Lymphadenectomies,Node Dissection, Lymph,Node Dissections, Lymph
D008204	Lymphangiosarcoma	A malignant tumor originating from the endothelial cells of lymphatic vessels. Most lymphangiosarcomas arise in an arm secondary to radical mastectomy but they sometimes complicate idiopathic lymphedema. The lymphedema has usually been present for 6 to 10 years before malignant changes develop. (From Dorland, 27th ed; Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, p1866)	Lymphangioendothelioma, Malignant,Lymphangioendotheliomas, Malignant,Lymphangiosarcomas,Malignant Lymphangioendothelioma,Malignant Lymphangioendotheliomas
D008209	Lymphedema	Edema due to obstruction of lymph vessels or disorders of the lymph nodes.	Milroy's Disease,Congenital Familial Lymphedema,Congenital Hereditary Lymphedema,Early Onset Lymphedema,Hereditary Lymphedema,Hereditary Lymphedema 1,Hereditary Lymphedema Type I,Lymphedema, Early-Onset,Lymphedema, Hereditary, Ia,Milroy Disease,Nonne-Milroy Disease,Nonne-Milroy Lymphedema,Nonne-Milroy-Meige Disease,Primary Congenital Lymphedema,Congenital Hereditary Lymphedemas,Congenital Lymphedema, Primary,Congenital Lymphedemas, Primary,Early Onset Lymphedemas,Early-Onset Lymphedema,Early-Onset Lymphedemas,Hereditary Lymphedema 1s,Hereditary Lymphedema, Congenital,Hereditary Lymphedemas,Hereditary Lymphedemas, Congenital,Lymphedema, Congenital Hereditary,Lymphedema, Early Onset,Lymphedema, Hereditary,Lymphedema, Nonne-Milroy,Lymphedema, Primary Congenital,Lymphedemas,Lymphedemas, Congenital Hereditary,Lymphedemas, Early Onset,Lymphedemas, Early-Onset,Lymphedemas, Hereditary,Lymphedemas, Primary Congenital,Milroys Disease,Nonne Milroy Disease,Nonne Milroy Lymphedema,Nonne Milroy Meige Disease,Primary Congenital Lymphedemas
D011878	Radiotherapy	The use of IONIZING RADIATION to treat malignant NEOPLASMS and some benign conditions.	Radiotherapy, Targeted,Targeted Radiotherapy,Radiation Therapy,Radiation Therapy, Targeted,Radiation Treatment,Targeted Radiation Therapy,Radiation Therapies,Radiation Therapies, Targeted,Radiation Treatments,Radiotherapies,Radiotherapies, Targeted,Targeted Radiation Therapies,Targeted Radiotherapies,Therapies, Radiation,Therapies, Targeted Radiation,Therapy, Radiation,Therapy, Targeted Radiation,Treatment, Radiation
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000369	Aged, 80 and over	Persons 80 years of age and older.	Oldest Old