Epithelioid Angiosarcoma of the Rectum, Report of a Case

Osamu Ikeda, Kazuhide Touhara, Daisuke Sato, Michiyo Miyawaki, Yuzo Uchida and Shinichiro Akizuki*

Department of Surgery and Pathology* Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Associations Shinbeppu Hospital

A 55-year-old man hospitalized for hematochezia had an irregular, flat elevation palpated 2 cm orally from the anal verge. Colonoscopic endoscopy showed a type 1 tumor that bled easily. The tumor surface was dark purple and presented erosion. Histological diagnosis of biopsy specimens was poorly differenciated adenocarcinoma, and abdominoperineal excision of the rectum was done. Histological examination of resected specimens showed the rectal tumor to be epithelioid angiosarcoma. Primary epithelioid angiosarcoma of the rectum is very rare, with only 5 cases reported to the best of our knowledge.

Key words
epithlioid angiosarcoma, rectum

Reprint requests
Osamu Ikeda Department of Surgery, Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Associations Shinpeppu Hospital
3898 Tsurumi, Beppu, 874-0833 JAPAN

Accepted
September 22, 2004

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