## What is angiosarcoma?

Angiosarcoma is cancer that grows in the lining of the lymph and blood vessels. It is a rare type of cancer that often grows fast. Angiosarcoma can grow anywhere in the body, but it is most commonly found in the skin, spleen, liver, and breast.

## What are the symptoms of angiosarcoma?

Symptoms of angiosarcoma can vary depending on where the cancer occurs. Symptoms may include:

- A bruised-looking purple-colored area on the skin that may bleed when scratched
- A bruised area on the skin that gets bigger over time
- Pain in an organ, such as the liver

## How is angiosarcoma treated?

Treatments for angiosarcoma may include:

- Surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible
- Radiation therapy to destroy the tumor if surgery is not possible, or to help keep the cancer from growing back
- Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor or help kill any cancer cells that have spread to other parts of your body

## What are the risk factors for angiosarcoma?

Risk factors for angiosarcoma include:

- Having had previous radiation therapy
- Having lymphedema, a type of swelling caused by extra lymph fluid backing up in the tissues
- Being exposed to certain chemicals that may cause cancer



 

 ## Departments and Programs Who Treat This Condition

  department###  [Sarcoma Program](/departments/cancer-center/sarcoma-program) 

 A program within the Cancer Center providing diagnosis and treatment for sarcoma, which are tumors that grow in bone, muscle, tendons, blood vessels, and other connective tissues,…