[Surgical treatment of irradiation-induced sarcoma after treatment for breast carcinoma, personal experience: 4 case reports] ].

: In the Department of Plastic Surgery of "Dubrava" University Hospital from 1993 to 1999 four patients were treated for radiation induced sarcoma. All of the patients were formerly operated for breast cancer and irradiated postoperatively. The mean time span between radiotherapy and development of sarcoma was 4.75 years. Four patients were treated with wide excision and immediate reconstruction with local flaps. One of the patients had fibrosarcoma, two patients had lymphangiosarcoma, and one patient had osteosarcoma. Two patients died within two years. Radiation induced sarcomas are therapy resistant, and the review of literature did not show large controlled investigations which would offer the most optimal treatment. Most frequently a rapid progression of the disease is seen.