Current Therapy for Postmastectomy Lymphangiosarcoma

IN 1948, Stewart and Treves¹ first described a lymphangiosarcoma in a postmastectomy extremity. The early lesion may appear as a blue-black or dark-pink area in the affected limb and later become elevated. It is most commonly found on the medial aspect of the upper arm near the axilla or near the antecubital fossa.^1-4 Although many forms of therapy have been attempted, this malignancy is almost uniformly fatal. Regional perfusion and infusion provide a new mode of therapy which is ideally suited to this malignancy. Our experience with this type of therapy in two patients with lymphangiosarcoma is given, along with a summary of previously reported results.

Report of Cases  Case 1.—On April 26, 1950, a 60-year-old white woman underwent a left radical mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast, with axillary metastases. The patient received postoperative irradiation to the chest wall and axilla. Two months after receiving irradiation, edema of