Abstract
A 82-year old man was referred to our hospital for the treatment of the angiosarcoma of the scalp. Multiple collections of erythematous nodules and paples up to lcm in diameter were visible. We performed a wide surgical excision. Postoperatively, the patient started the intra-arterial injection of recombinant interleukin-2, but it was impossible to continue the treatment because of the side effect of the first administration, the paraplasia, the urinary incontinence and the enesthopathia. The cause of these side effects are unclear. Instead he received electron beam therapy of the scalp. He remained in good condition, and was discharged from the hospital. However, pulmonaly metastasis developed 8 months after the surgical excision. A chest x-ray and CT revealed reticulonodular shadow in the lower lung field. The patient then underwent the high-energy x-ray therapy for a total of 40 Gy. The hemopytis stopped and the manifest improvements of the shadow in the chest radiography and the CT were observed. This patient has had no evidence of recurrence 3 months after completion of radiation therapy. Highenergy X-ray may represent an effective treatment for lung metastases of angiosarcoma. [Skin Cancer (Japan) 2001; 16: 93-98]
