Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage due to metastatic angiosarcoma of the lung: A case report

• Published in: Oncology letters Vol. 10; no. 6; pp. 3853 - 3855
• Main Authors: PAN, ZHIJIE, AN, ZHOU, LI, YANYUAN, ZHOU, JIANYING
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.12.2015; Spandidos Publications; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: Anemia; Angiosarcoma; brain; Care and treatment; Case reports; Case studies; Complications and side effects; Development and progression; diffuse alveolar hemorrhage; Dyspnea; Edema; Head injuries; Hemorrhage; lung; Lung cancer; Medical imaging; Metastasis; Oncology; Skin; Thyroid gland; lung; angiosarcoma; diffuse alveolar hemorrhage; brain; metastasis
• ISSN: 1792-1074; 1792-1082
• DOI: 10.3892/ol.2015.3820

Angiosarcoma is a rare, heterogeneous malignant tumor that derives from endothelial cells, and it has aggressive characteristics with a marked tendency for distant metastasis. Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a catastrophic clinical syndrome, however, it is rare as the presentation of pulmonary angiosarcoma. To increase awareness with regard to angiosarcoma and DAH, the current study presents a case of angiosarcoma that originated from the subcutaneous soft tissue of the mastoid process, but was subject to a delayed diagnosis and rapid invasion into the brain and lung. The metastatic angiosarcoma of the lung presented with DAH as the initial manifestation. The pathological examination of a biopsy of the subcutaneous mass and pulmonary lesions confirmed the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. The patient succumbed to respiratory failure at 1 month post-diagnosis.