Postmastectomy lymphangiosarcoma: Ultrastructural observations

Abstract

Two cases of lymphangiosarcoma, occurring 7 and 12 years, respectively, after radical mastectomy and radiation therapy for mammary carcinoma, have been studied with the electron microscope. Prominent vascular channels lined by highly atypical endothelial cells were present throughout both tumors. In one case, cells resembling pericytes were found in relation to many of these vessels. Numerous solid tumor cell nests seen in both cases were composed of cells characterized by a complex and well‐developed smooth endoplasmic reticulum and abundant introcytoplasmic glycogen. On the basis of both optical and electron microscopic evidence, postmastectomy lymphangiosarcoma is thought to be a vascular mesenchymal tumor closely related to Kaposi's sarcoma. Copyright © 1971 American Cancer Society