Primary mesenteric angiosarcoma in a child with associated lymphangiectasia: A case report

Angiosarcomas are rare tumors in children, usually occurring in soft tissue and liver. By contrast, angiosarcoma in adults usually occurs in the extremities in conjunction with lymphedema. Mesenteric angiosarcoma has only rarely been reported. When angiosarcomas arise in this location, they usually represent a 2nd malignancy following Hodgkin's lymphoma. We report a child who presented to the emergency room with an acute abdomen and underwent emergency surgery for a mesenteric angiosarcoma with associated lymphangiectasia of the bowel and mesentery. A brief review of the literature and the nomenclature of these unusual tumors are discussed.