Background: The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether angiosarcoma outcomes differ for the scalp and face.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective outcomes analysis of 50 patients with cutaneous angiosarcoma treated by curative intent identified from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Registry (from 1958 to 2014).
Results: Median survival was 26 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.6-34.6) and median follow-up 29 months. For the scalp and face, respectively, the 5-year locoregional control rate was 9% and 53% (p = .04); the recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was 5% and 27% (p = .017); and the overall survival (OS) rate was 9% and 26% (p = .017). Scalp lesions were larger, more likely to be multifocal, and presented more rapidly once noticed. In multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, scalp location was independently prognostic for mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.10; 95% CI, 1.03-4.28; p = .04).
Conclusion: Scalp angiosarcoma has worse survival than angiosarcoma of the face. Scalp angiosarcoma tends to be larger at presentation, which may be because it is not noticed until more advanced. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1205-1211, 2017.
Keywords: angiosarcoma; face; head and neck; radiotherapy; scalp; skin; surgery.
© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.