title: Vascular malformations that were diagnosed as or accompanied by malignant tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular malformations can mimic malignant tumors, and the coexistence of both types of lesions can limit and interfere with treatment. A consecutive series of vascular malformations that were treated and evaluated in a single institute and cases involving vascular anomalies combined with malignancies or malignancies that were treated as vascular anomalies were analyzed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Absolute ethanol is used in the treatment and management of vascular malformations and is sometimes administered before a definitive diagnosis has been obtained, despite the fact that some vascular lesions are subsequently revealed to be malignant tumors. This study discusses such cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2006 to August 2012, 139 patients were treated for vascular malformations at Nagasaki University Hospital and were followed up for a minimum of 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four malignant lesions coexisted with or were misdiagnosed as vascular malformations, including a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor located in the chest, a hemangiopericytoma of the palate, an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the cheek, and a squamous cell carcinoma of the cheek. Thus, malignant lesions were detected in 2.88% of cases in which vascular malformations were preoperatively diagnosed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When treating vascular malformations, it is advisable to be aware of the possibility of malignancy.
authors.affiliation: *All authors are affiliated with the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagasaki University Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houbara
authors.forename: Sadanori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications; D002610:Cheek; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006393:Hemangiopericytoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009383:Neoplasms, Vascular Tissue / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000098:blood supply; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*