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Why are older people more susceptible to angiosarcoma? What's the secret behind it?
Angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive cancer that begins in the cells that line the blood vessels or lymphatic vessels. Although this cancer can occur at any age and affect any part of the body, it is more common in older people, with about 60% of cases affecting the skin. The scalp is particularly prone to hemangiosarcoma, with approximately 50% of cases occurring in this area, although this still accounts for less than 0.1% of head and neck tumors. Why is this disease particularly serious in the elderly, but relatively rare in younger patients?
The cause of angiosarcoma, a cancer that affects the cells that line the blood or lymph vessels, is unknown, but certain risk factors have been identified.
The characteristics of angiosarcomas vary, ranging from no symptoms to nonspecific symptoms such as skin lesions, ulcers, shortness of breath, and abdominal pain. At diagnosis, most cases are often associated with multiple organs, which complicates the identification of the source and the appropriate treatment. As older people's physical functions decline and their immune systems become less able to fight off cancer, they are more vulnerable to this type of cancer. Additionally, exposure to certain chemicals (such as arsenic and vinyl chloride), radiation therapy, or chronic lymphedema have been considered potential triggers.
According to research, the development of angiosarcoma may be associated with certain risk factors, such as chronic lymphedema, radiation therapy, and some chemicals.
In some cases, long-term foreign objects, such as implants, have been linked to angiosarcoma, and these conditions are most common in women who have had breast surgery. Ultraviolet radiation and local immune deficiency may also play a role in the pathogenesis of angiosarcoma. Due to the nature of this cancer, early diagnosis is critical, especially in older patients who face generally lower survival rates than younger patients. According to the data, the five-year survival rate is only between 30% and 38%. For angiosarcoma of the heart and liver, the prognosis may be even lower, with a survival period of only about three months.
Because angiosarcoma originates from the endothelial cells of blood vessels or lymphatic vessels, it is very easy to metastasize to other sites, especially the liver and lungs.
Angiosarcoma can be visualized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound, but can be difficult to distinguish from other cancers, and definitive diagnosis often requires a biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis. After initial diagnosis, the marker CD31 is often used, which is the gold standard for the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. Older adults often face this challenge because their specific symptoms are often similar to other common illnesses and can be easily confused. In addition, the age distribution of angiosarcoma is uneven, with older men being particularly susceptible.
The incidence of angiosarcoma continues to increase in the United States, with older adults playing a significant role.
There are various types of angiosarcoma, which can be mainly divided into primary skin angiosarcoma, lymphedema-associated angiosarcoma, and visceral organ angiosarcoma. Each type has different pathogenesis and prognosis, especially angiosarcomas of the heart and liver, which have a particularly poor prognosis, and the survival rate is even worse in the elderly. Primary cardiac angiosarcomas, although extremely rare, are the most common malignant tumors of the heart. Early symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain. These non-specific symptoms often delay diagnosis and affect treatment effectiveness.
In short, the reason why the elderly are more susceptible to angiosarcoma involves changes in physiological functions as well as multiple influences such as environmental factors, genetic factors, and lifestyle habits. These are all worthy of our in-depth discussion. They are not only related to the health of the elderly, but also to the entire society's understanding of and response strategies to cancer. Although treatments for angiosarcoma include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, due to its high mortality rate, many patients find it difficult to survive long even with treatment. This rare cancer remains a medical mystery and the medical community needs more research and discovery. Do you also think that as we age, attention to health should not be neglected?
