An unusual case of secondary fibrosarcoma after treatment for breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Post-irradiation breast sarcoma is a rare and highly aggressive tumor, associated with poor prognosis. However, the mean latent periods reported for postradiation sarcomas after treatment of breast cancer ranges from 5 to 10 years.


METHODS
We present a rare case of fibrosarcoma of the axilla, diagnosed 23 months after breast surgery and irradiation for medullary poorly differentiated carcinoma, treated with wide local excision with resection of the serratus anterior muscle until pleural wall.


CONCLUSIONS
This case confirm a possible early appearance of sarcoma in the irradiation field after radiotherapy. Thus, when a nodule appears in the irradiation field even if within 2 years after radiotherapy, physician should be alert for a possible sarcoma and wide biopsy with histologic confirmation is auspicable.
Plotti
Francesco
F
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Perinatology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Viale del Policlinico 155-00161 Rome, Italy. francescoplotti@tiscali.it
Di Donato
Violante
V
Zullo
Marzio Angelo
MA
Angioli
Roberto
R
Panici
Pierluigi Benedetti
PB
D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects