PAGETS-DISEASE OF THE NIPPLE AND ANGIOSARCOMA OF THE BREAST FOLLOWINGEXCISION AND RADIATION-THERAPY FOR CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST

We report a case of bilateral angiosarcomas developing in breasts afte r radiation therapy. The angiosarcomas developed 7 years after the fir st dose and 3 years after the last dose of radiation. In addition, Pag et's disease of the nipple was diagnosed in the right breast, c-neu ov erexpression was noted in the adenocarcinoma but not in the angiosarco ma. Neither tumor was immunoreactive for c-k-ras. The oncogenic expres sion of the radiation-induced angiosarcoma was different from that of the radiation-resistant adenocarcinoma. The simultaneous occurrence of angiosarcoma and Paget's disease of the nipple has not been reported previously. The importance of recognizing Paget's disease in post-irra diated breasts and complications of breast conservation therapy are st ressed.