title: Cutaneous versus non-cutaneous angiosarcoma: clinicopathologic features and treatment outcomes in 60 patients at a single Asian cancer centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiosarcoma (AS) is an uncommon soft tissue sarcoma with dismal prognosis that presents either cutaneously (C-AS) or non-cutaneously (NC-AS). We compared the clinical features and treatment outcomes between these 2 groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-centre study evaluating 60 AS patients between 2002 and 2012 was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 70 years. C-AS of the scalp or face comprised 66% of patients. C-AS patients were older than NC-AS (median age 74 vs. 56 years; p < 0.001). Proportionately more C-AS patients presented with non-metastatic disease (86 vs. 50%; p = 0.007). Amongst resected C-AS and NC-AS patients, rates of positive surgical margins (53 vs. 50%; p = 1.00) and adjuvant therapy (25 vs. 43%; p = 0.626) were not significantly different, though proportionately fewer C-AS patients relapsed (36 vs. 78%; p = 0.038). Paclitaxel was the most common agent in first line palliative systemic therapy, achieving an objective response rate of 56%. Median overall survival was 11.2 months, with no significant difference between C-AS and NC-AS (11.3 vs. 9.8 months; p = 0.895).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Distinct from AS in the West, our series demonstrates a clear preponderance of scalp AS. Disparities in clinical characteristics between C-AS and NC-AS did not translate into survival differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.forename: Whee Sze
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Marcus Jin Fu
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Raaj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jeevan
authors.forename: Zhen Chong
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Alisa Noor Hidayah
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Sairi
authors.forename: Lay Tin
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teh
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001940:Breast; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D012535:Scalp; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel