Stewart-Treves syndrome after treatment for breast cancer

This study reviews 3 cases of angiosarcoma of the upper extremity after mastectomy and radiotherapy for breast cancer (Stewart-Treves syndrome). angiosarcoma was diagnosed an average of 14 years (from 6.5 to 26 years) after treatment for breast cancer. Presenting signs included a red raised lesion, a palpable mass, a blister appearance (in one case). Two of our three patients underwent surgical treatment: one patient underwent local excision followed by chemotherapy, and the other patient wide excision, followed by external beam radiotherapy. Local recurrence occurred in one of these two patients and was followed by the development of lung metastases. The second patient who had treatment is free of disease without problems. The third patient refused any treatment and died 5 months later. The purpose of this article is to add to the literature 3 new cases of Stewart-Treves syndrome and to discuss some specific problems of this rare tumour. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.