The capillary lobule: a deceptively benign feature of post-radiation angiosarcoma of the skin: report of three cases

Three cases are presented of a proliferative vascular lesion of the skin developing in the chest wall of women who had received radiation therapy for breast carcinoma. All 3 lesions were characterized microscopically by the presence of the so-called capillary lobule, a formation generally regarded as a sign of benignancy but that in this setting proved to be a forerunner or indicator of angiosarcoma (malignant hemangioendothelioma). Therefore, the detection of capillary lobules in irradiated skin ought to be regarded with great suspicion, and other morphologic signs suggestive of angiosarcoma should be sought in the specimen. Copyright