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Unusual coexistence of Stewart-Treves syndrome and sickle cell anaemia: a case of dual pathology
  1. Vaishali A Walke1,
  2. Sonali Datar2,
  3. Balwant Kowe2 and
  4. Jai Kumar Chaurasia1
  1. 1Pathology & Lab Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Science-Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
  2. 2Pathology, IGGMCH, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
  1. Correspondence to Dr Vaishali A Walke; vaishali.patho{at}aiimsbhopal.edu.in

Abstract

Chronic lymphoedema can rarely be complicated by an angiosarcoma. This combination called Stewart-Treves syndrome usually observed in upper limb in patients of post-mastectomy with axillary lymph node resection. Here, we report a male patient who had a 10-year history of right leg elephantiasis. Later on, he developed two large ulceronodular masses in the same leg with few satellite nodules in the surrounding skin. With the clinical suspicion of malignancy, a wedge biopsy was performed which revealed histological features of angiosarcoma with sickled red cells. The above knee amputation specimen received further confirmed the histological diagnosis. The investigation for haemoglobinopathy also suggested the presence of sickle cell trait. This report describes a multifocal tumour as a rare manifestation of Stewart-Treves syndrome in a post-filariasis case with sickle cell trait, which is an extremely uncommon combination.

  • Pathology
  • Surgical oncology
  • Skin cancer

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Footnotes

  • Contributors VAW—work-up of the case with diagnosis, concept for reporting the case, manuscript writing, preparation of figures, overall supervision and finalisation of the case. SD—inputs in diagnosis and follow-up. BK—diagnosis and manuscript preparation. JKC—inputs in manuscript preparation, editing and preparation of legends of figures.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.