Stewart–Treves syndrome

Stewart–Treves syndrome
Other namesCutaneous angiosarcoma
Complicationsrecurrent episodes of erysipelas, deep venous thromboses in areas of chronic lymphedema, recurrent infections, and malignancies.
FrequencyApproximately 400 cases of Stewart-Treves syndrome have been reported.

Stewart–Treves syndrome is a lymphangiosarcoma, a rare disorder marked by the presence of an angiosarcoma (a malignant tumor of blood or lymph vessels) in a person with chronic (long-term) lymphedema. Although it most commonly refers to malignancies associated with chronic lymphedema resulting from mastectomy and/or radiotherapy for breast cancer, it may also describe lymphangiosarcomas that result from congenital and other causes of chronic secondary lymphedema. Lymphangiosarcoma arising from cancer-related lymphedema has become much less common with better surgical techniques, radiation therapy, and conservative treatment. The prognosis, even with wide surgical excision and subsequent radiotherapy, is poor.