Introduction: Breast sarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm that may occur as a primary tumor or as a secondary malignancy when it arises in a previously irradiated site. In this setting, it is known as radiation-induced breast sarcoma (RIBS), an uncommon but serious late complication of radiotherapy in breast cancer survivors. It is characterized by aggressive biological behavior and a poor prognosis.
Case report: We report the case of a 57-year-old female patient with a prior history of invasive carcinoma of the right breast, treated with breast-conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy. During the sixth year of follow-up, she developed an erythematous nodule in the axillary region of the previously irradiated breast, with a diagnosis of radiation-induced sarcoma.
Conclusion: RIBS requires a high index of clinical suspicion. Early diagnosis and wide surgical excision with negative margins constitute the cornerstone of treatment.