Wednesday, March 11, 2009

What is Angiosarcoma?

A cancer that grows very quickly is called angiosarcoma. Angiosarcoma is a malignant, extremely intrusive cancer. The thin layer of lining called endothelium, is where there are endothelial cells that line the wall of the blood vessels, and tumors start to form here. The cells quickly reproduce into more cells and these cells can turn cancerous. They could also spread through the body. Similar to other cancers, cell replication is uncontrollable. The connection to the circulatory system poses threat to a person's health.

Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive sarcoma. It affects the blood vessels and is very dangerous. The blood vessels grow into the tumor and the rupturing of this will cause a victim to bleed to death. Conditions that have an affect on the blood are very harmful. As cancerous cells spread, it is very likely other healthy organs will be affected. Angiosarcoma is difficult to treat because it is destructive and it often returns.

Lymphangiosarcoma is an angiosarcoma. The tumor cells come from the endothelial cells of the lymphatic vessels. The lymph system is accountable for distributing antibodies throughout the body. A devastating truth is that when a cancer affects this part of the body like the blood or lymph, it will spread the deadly cancer throughout the body.

Angiosarcoma is commonly found in the skin or soft tissue however, it can take place in any organ of the body. They can start in the liver, breast, spleen, bone and heart. Located in the neck and head of the elderly, cutaneous angiosarcoma is more common of angiosarcoma.

What causes angiosarcomas is not known and is a factor in understanding what is angiosarcoma. Hemangiosarcomas such as Stewart - Treves syndrome are linked with exposure to toxins of thorium dioxide, vinyl chloride, or arsenic. Stewart -Treves syndrome is caused from lymphedema. This comes after breast care treatments such as mastectomy and radiotherapy. If a person was exposed to vinyl chloride during plastic industries during the manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride, they are at higher risk of that leading to angiosarcoma. The exposures that occurred 30 years ago the affects are stilling arising from it.

Every type of angiosarcoma is likely to be destructive and multicentric. The recurrence rate is extremely high and the tumors are more than likely to spread to another part of the body. It is unfortunate that many cases are misdiagnosed making the mortality rate is higher. The common therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation do not work well with these aggressive tumors making this condition difficult to treat.

Evidence is being explored by researchers of the transformations happening on p53, the tumor suppressor gene in the cells of the angiosarcoma of the liver. The p53 tumor suppressor and the molecules around it is the focus today for researchers. Thousand of studies are taking place all over the world. New treatments may be revealed to help this deadly cancer.

David Austin is an Attorney focused on complex injury cases. You can learn more about Angiosarcoma and how it can be caused by Vinyl Chloride Exposure at his website. http://www.burke-eisner.com

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