Radiation therapy for breast cancer can lead to radiation-induced angiosarcoma, presenting years later as purplish skin discoloration over the treated area.
Highlights the delayed presentation of radiation-induced angiosarcoma as skin discoloration 12 years after breast cancer treatment.
Angiosarcomas are a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis. They often present as a red or purple skin discoloration, which can be easily mistaken for bruising, delaying diagnosis and treatment. This case report discusses a 54-year-old woman with a history of right breast cancer treated with partial mastectomy, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and 5 years of Tamoxifen. Now, 12 years later, she is presenting with a purplish discoloration over the partial mastectomy scar on the right breast.
Molly Escoto-Garcia (2026) studied this question. Radiation therapy for breast cancer can lead to radiation-induced angiosarcoma, presenting years later as purplish skin discoloration over the treated area.