Vascular tumors of the breast. IV. The venous hemangioma.

Recent studies have documented the diversity of vascular tumors of the breast. In addition to angiosarcoma, it has been possible to define several categories of benign lesions. This report describes four patients whose vascular tumor consisted of a circumscribed disorderly vascular proliferation composed largely of venous channels. These vascular tumors of the breast correspond most closely to soft-tissue lesions that have been classified as venous hemangiomas. The patients ranged in age from 24 to 59 years. Each presented with a mass; the tumors measured 1.0-5 cm in diameter. Three were treated by excisional biopsy and one by mastectomy. All have remained well. The patient with the longest follow-up (11 years) reported that her tumor had been present for 13 years before diagnosis. A 38-year-old woman had coexistent lobular carcinoma in situ. She remains well less than 1 year after excisional biopsy. Thus far there is no evidence that this apparently benign lesion is likely to develop into angiosarcoma. Based on the information at hand, complete local excision appears to be adequate treatment. Longer follow-up and the study of other cases will provide a more complete assessment of the clinical course of this vascular tumor.