Efficacy of weekly docetaxel in locally advanced cardiac angiosarcoma

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Date
2015-07-30Author
Minichillo, Santino
Pantaleo, Maria A
Nannini, Margherita
Coccolo, Fabio
Gatto, Lidia
Biasco, Guido
Brandi, Giovanni
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Show full item recordAbstract
Abstract
Background
Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is extremely aggressive; however, it is often misdiagnosed because of its rarity. For locally advanced tumors, doxorubicin-based chemotherapy regimens are the standard of treatment, even if the gain in term of progression-free survival is limited and is no longer than 5 months.
Case presentation
We report the case of a Caucasian 23-year-old man with locally advanced cardiac angiosarcoma who underwent radical surgical resection after a prolonged response to weekly docetaxel and complementary radiotherapy.
Conclusion
Combined treatment with weekly docetaxel
and radiotherapy may be a valid alternative for the treatment of locally advanced cardiac angiosarcoma; the combination can lead to radical surgical resections, avoiding the cumulative cardiotoxicity of antracycline-based regimens.