Vascular sarcoma is a rare subtype of soft tissue sarcoma that develops in the lining of blood vessels and more commonly affects adults versus children.
Since blood vessels circulate blood throughout your body, vascular sarcoma can form anywhere in your body. In some cases, it can affect the lymphatic system. The treatment for vascular sarcoma depends on whether the tumor is benign or malignant.
At the Sarcoma Oncology Center, our team collaborates with surgeons, radiologists, and radiation oncologists to provide personalized treatment for vascular sarcoma.
Vascular sarcoma originates from the blood vessels or lymphatic vessels and can affect various body parts. It is a relatively rare type of tumor that can present symptoms depending on their location and size. Treatment typically involves surgery and may also be combined with radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Vascular sarcomas are classified into three main subtypes.
This form of vascular sarcoma typically occurs in the liver, lungs, and bone. It can also occur in other body parts, such as the head, neck, intestines, lymph nodes, and stomach.
Hemangioendothelioma usually grows slowly and can sometimes spread to other tissues in the body. The nature of the tumor can range from benign to intermediate to malignant.
Kaposi sarcoma forms in the lining of blood vessels and lymph vessels. The tumor forms abnormal growth of tissues, called lesions, on the skin. It generally occurs in the skin, lymph nodes, lining of the mouth, nose, or throat.
There are two subtypes of Kaposi sarcoma, depending on geographical location.
Angiosarcoma is most commonly found in the skin, breast, liver, spleen, and deep tissue. It forms in the inner lining of blood vessels. The majority of Angiosarcoma cases occur in the skin and usually affect the scalp and face. The tumor may appear as a bruise-like lesion that grows over time.
In rare cases, angiosarcomas can occur in an area of the body where a patient has received radiation therapy for a prior cancer.
The exact cause of vascular sarcoma is unclear. Like many soft tissue sarcoma types, vascular sarcoma likely arises from genetic predisposition and environmental factors.
Vascular sarcomas may not produce any noticeable symptoms until the tumor has reached an advanced stage. Symptoms of vascular sarcoma can include:
Vascular sarcoma that forms deep inside the soft tissue may not be discovered unless you apply pressure to the affected area.
If the tumor affects the skin, then slow-growing red, purple, or brown lesions may form and can be visible on your body. Lesions are abnormal areas of tissue that can occur both inside and outside the body.
In case of vascular sarcoma affecting your skin, lesions mostly appear on the ankles or soles of the feet. It may spread to other parts of your body, including the stomach, intestines, or lymph nodes.
The lesions inside your body don’t cause any symptoms. However, pressure from them may block the flow of lymphatic fluid and blood in the legs, which may cause painful swelling. If lesions form in the digestive tract, you may experience gastrointestinal bleeding.
Your physician might order the following tests to confirm the diagnosis of vascular sarcoma:
The treatment of vascular sarcoma requires multimodal, personalized treatment plans. A multimodal approach can include any combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. When selecting clinical trials for vascular sarcomas, the type and nature of vascular sarcomas are taken into account.
Since vascular sarcoma and its types are rare types of sarcoma, the treatment plan and scope can vary for each case.
The rare and complex nature of vascular sarcoma requires a multimodal approach to treatment. At the Sarcoma Oncology Center, we design a treatment plan based on factors such as the tumor stage, prior treatments received, progress of the tumor, and biopsy analysis.
At our office in Santa Monica, we design personalized and innovative plans for treating various types of sarcoma.
To schedule a consultation, please call us at 310-552-9999 or request an appointment online.
