title: Response of postmastectomy lymphangiosarcoma to radiotherapy: report of four cases.
abstract: We have reported on four previously unpublished cases of postmastectomy lymphangiosarcoma. All of these cases had suffered from a long-lasting lymphedema of the upper extremity. Only one patient had survived over one year. After radiotherapy she lived four years from first lesion of lymphangiosarcoma. She died locally disease-free in spite of two earlier recurrences, which were also treated with radiotherapy. We believe that only in early cases can the radiotherapy give a good palliation in postmastectomy lymphangiosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Appelqvist
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rissanen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiklund
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008204:Lymphangiosarcoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000150:complications; D015409:Mastectomy, Radical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D013997:Time Factors