Sarcomas of the Breast

Sarcoma of the breast is extremely rare and differs from epithelial breast carcinomas in staging and treatment. Diagnostic workup includes breast imaging and core biopsy as in breast epithelial carcinoma. Surgical management is often wide local excision in the form of breast conservation if possible for primary breast sarcoma or total mastectomy. Radiation-associated breast angiosarcomas often require total mastectomy with radical excision of skin. Breast sarcomas have a hematogenous spread so lymph node evaluation is not a part of treatment or staging. Local recurrence rates are high; prognosis remains poor despite on-going advances in the treatment of epithelial breast carcinoma.