What are the causes and risk factors for angiosarcoma of the breast?
Cancer begins with out-of-control growth of abnormal cells. What kicks off this process in primary angiosarcoma of the breast is not clear and risk factors are largely unknown.
Angiosarcoma can sometimes run in families. Some research suggests a possible genetic predisposition to develop this type of cancer, but more studies are needed in this area. Exposure to cancer-causing chemicals may also play a role in angiosarcoma.
Primary angiosarcoma of the breast is most likelyTrusted Source to affect a young woman with dense breasts and no history of breast cancer. The median age at onset is 40 years. There is no known trigger.
Secondary angiosarcoma of the breast is caused by previous radiation treatment or chronic lymphedema due to breast cancer. It has a median onset age of 70 years, and generally happens about 10.5 years after radiation therapy.
How is primary angiosarcoma of the breast diagnosed?
A screening mammogram may pick up on a mass you didn’t know was there. But primary angiosarcoma of the breast tends to occur in younger women who may not have started routine breast cancer screening mammograms.
If you have a breast lump or other signs of breast cancer, your doctor will likely perform a clinical exam, followed by a diagnostic mammogram. Other imaging tests may include:
breast ultrasound
breast MRI
PET scan
While imaging tests can identify the general size and location of a mass, it’s not enough to make a diagnosis. Breast angiosarcomas have a nonspecific pathological pattern. They can appear much like benign lesions on imaging scans, particularly when it involves younger people with dense breasts.
The only way to accurately diagnose breast angiosarcoma is with a breast biopsy. Some research suggests that fine-needle biopsy leads to 40%Trusted Source of false negative results, so your doctor may recommend a core needle biopsy.
Other rare diagnoses, such as liposarcoma and fibrosarcoma, must be excludedTrusted Source.
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