STEWART-TREVES SYNDROME – A RARE COMPLICATION OF A COMMON FINDING

  • António Fernandes Massa Interno de Dermatologia/Resident of Dermatology, Serviço de Dermatologia, Centro Hospitalar V.N.Gaia/Espinho, EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
  • Rita Guedes Interno de Dermatologia/Resident of Dermatology, Serviço de Dermatologia, Centro Hospitalar V.N.Gaia/Espinho, EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
  • Eduarda Osório Ferreira Assistente Hospitalar Graduada/Graduated Consultant of Dermatology, Serviço de Dermatologia, Centro Hospitalar V.N.Gaia/Espinho, EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
  • Xiaogang Wen Serviço de Anatomia-Patológica/Pathological Anatomy Department, Centro Hospitalar V.N.Gaia/Espinho, EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
  • Armando Baptista Chefe de Serviço, Director de Serviço/Chief of Dermatology, Head of the Dermatology Department, Serviço de Dermatologia, Centro Hospitalar V.N.Gaia/Espinho, EPE, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Keywords: Lymphangiosarcoma, Lymphedema, Stewart-Treves syndrome

Abstract

Stewart-Treves syndrome is a rare entity with bad prognosis. It has been described as a lymphangiosarcoma in lymphedema context. We present the case of a 79-year-old female patient with a history of left breast invasive ductal carcinoma 10 years ago, treated with mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She was observed in the Dermatology department for cutaneous changes in her left arm with two months of evolution, which didn’t improve with antibiotherapy. At the physical examination, we observed a high-grade lymphedema with erythematous-violaceous nodules on the anterior inner face of the left arm. A biopsy was performed and the diagnosis of angiosarcoma was established. The patient died one month after by disease’s progression. The awareness of the dermatologic semiology of this entity could lead to an early detection, with a precocious intervention and a better prognosis.

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Published
2014-09-19
How to Cite
Massa, A. F., Guedes, R., Ferreira, E. O., Wen, X., & Baptista, A. (2014). STEWART-TREVES SYNDROME – A RARE COMPLICATION OF A COMMON FINDING. Journal of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology, 72(2), 253-257. https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.72.2.265
Section
Case Reports