Response to paclitaxel in a radiotherapy-induced breast angiosarcoma

To the EditorThis female patient (65 years of age) was diagnosedin 2002 with infiltrating ductal carcinoma in theright breast, pT1N1M0. Initial therapy includedconservative surgery, a breast radiotherapy dose of50 Gy and a boost dose on the tumour bed with afurther 10 Gy, together with adjuvant hormonetherapy with tamoxifen.The patient consulted again in March 2007 due tothe appearance of macular lesions over the whole ofher right breast. A biopsy showed no neoplasticinfiltration. Three months later, the lesions hadincreased, with the appearance of erythematousnodules (Figure 1a) spreading to the anterior axillaryline. A fresh biopsy revealed an angiosarcoma (AS).As this tumour could not be resected, chemotherapywas started with paclitaxel at 60 mg/m