title: Extended remission of metastatic epithelioid angiosarcoma of the heart with liposomal doxorubicin.
abstract: Angiosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumour of the heart. It is a rare and aggressive neoplasm that almost always has a short and fatal evolution. By the time it produces symptoms it has usually progressed to a mass causing haemodynamic compromise. Initial presentation with metastatic disease is unusual. We report the case of a 72-year-old man who presented with painful skin lesions on both hands. The skin biopsy was diagnosed as intravascular metastasis of epithelioid angiosarcoma. Body computed tomography scan disclosed a solid mass in the left atrium. The tumour was judged unresectable and the patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy, consisting of liposomal doxorubicin, which resulted in a complete clinical response. The patient remains free of disease after 48 months of follow-up. The excellent clinical evolution of our patient verifies that liposomal doxorubicin may be effective in the treatment of these tumours and significantly prolong patients' lifespan.
authors.affiliation: Santa Maria Hospital, Medicine, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, Lisbon, 1649-035, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carlos Marques
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Candeias
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Luís
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Luís Soares
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Manuel Marques
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Luísa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brito-Avô
authors.forename: José Luís
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ducla-Soares