Primary Colonic Angiosarcoma Seen in a Patient on Calcium Channel Blocker: A Case Report with Summary Analysis of 32 Other Cases from the Literature.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND Angiosarcoma is a rare malignant mesenchymal tumor of vascular endothelial cell origin. Its occurrence in the colorectal region is extremely rare. Only 32 cases of primary colorectal angiosarcoma are reported in the current literature. Angiosarcoma in association with calcium channel blocker has been rarely reported. We present such a case of a patient who had been on levamlodipine besylate, a calcium channel blocker, for over 10 years. CASE REPORT A 53-year-old female with hypertension presented with a fever, a dry cough, and hematochezia. Computed tomography (CT) scan and angiography demonstrated a 6-cm vascular mass in the ileocecal region. The clinical symptoms stopped soon after a right hemicolectomy. The histopathology with immunohistochemical studies confirmed the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. Three months after surgery, the patient had evidence of recurrence of the tumor, however, she no longer presented with a fever or a dry cough. The patient was receiving chemotherapy at the time of the report. CONCLUSIONS Colorectal angiosarcoma is a rare malignancy of endothelial origin with uncertain etiology and often has a poor prognosis. Angiosarcoma seen in a patient taking calcium channel blocker is rare but alarming. CT scan and angiography are helpful tools to raise the suspicion of the diagnosis. A definitive pathological diagnosis relies on histopathology with immunohistochemical stains of endothelial markers. Surgical resection is still the best choice of the different treatment options.