Unusual coexistence of Stewart-Treves syndrome and sickle cell anaemia: a case of dual pathology

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.