DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for skin angiosarcoma — screening already-approved drugs against its 48-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleSkin angiosarcoma maps to a 48-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
approvedPazopanibApproved drug
Structures already discussed alongside skin angiosarcoma in the retrieved literature, rendered from public PubChem SMILES. Which drugs appear here reflects the evidence found, not a ranked prediction.
Molecular view
protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6) — PTK6 is one of the genes in this disease's Open Targets module — part of the target space DeCure's repurposing candidates point at. The protein backbone is drawn as a cartoon. The structure has 2-{[(3r,4s)-3-fluoro-1-{[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]acetyl}piperidin-4-yl]oxy}-5-(1-methyl-1h-imidazol-4-yl)pyridine-3-carboxamide bound in it, shown as sticks.
Loading structure…
helix sheet 3r,4sdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6CZ4 · 1.5 Å · ligand 2-{[(3R,4S)-3-fluoro-1-{[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]acetyl}piperidin-4-yl]oxy}-5-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)pyridine-3-carboxamide (FKY). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Cutaneous angiosarcoma carries a five-year overall survival rate below 30%, and standard treatments—surgical excision, radiation, chemotherapy, and biological therapy—have limited efficacy. A 2014 report describes pazopanib as an orally bioavailable option considered in taxane-resistant disease, but the abstract provides no response rates, survival data, or patient numbers to support its use. The 1954 study of 323 skin hemangiomas in infants and children concerns benign vascular lesions, not angiosarcoma, and its relevance to this malignancy is nil. A 2018 case report of a 91-year-old woman with scalp angiosarcoma adds no therapeutic data, only emphasising that early biopsy is needed for suspicious skin findings in older adults.
Diagnosis itself is a recognised obstacle. A 1985 study of 71 patients with facial and scalp angiosarcoma found three predominant histological patterns—well-differentiated collagen dissection, luminal proliferation, and poorly differentiated solid areas—with loss of endothelial markers such as Factor VIII RA and PAL-E in the least differentiated regions. The authors suggest that loss of normal endothelial markers from well-differentiated vascular channels may be the earliest stage of malignant change. A 2025 case report of a 43-year-old woman with a four-year progressive ulcerative limb lesion shows the practical consequences: initial biopsy raised suspicion for malignant melanoma, and only after trans-humeral amputation did histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirm high-grade angiosarcoma, with CD31 cited as the most sensitive marker. The report notes that high costs of immunohistochemistry, advanced imaging, and chemoradiotherapy make diagnosis, staging, and treatment especially difficult in lower-middle income countries.
A 2015 report of hobnail hemangioma in a 17-year-old girl is a benign vascular lesion, CD34-positive and podoplanin-negative, with no recurrence after four years; it is included here only to illustrate the differential diagnosis and should not be mistaken for evidence about angiosarcoma. Two spontaneous cutaneous hemangiosarcomas in Swiss mice, also from 2015, showed no visceral metastasis but offer no translational data for human disease.
What remains missing is any prospective trial of pazopanib in cutaneous angiosarcoma with reported progression-free or overall survival, any validated biomarker to stratify patients by histological pattern or marker loss, and any affordable diagnostic pathway for resource-limited settings where amputation may occur before a correct diagnosis is made.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
European Journal of Dermatology · 2014 · 12 citations
Pazopanib: an alternative in taxane-resistant cutaneous angiosarcoma
AbstractCutaneous angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare and aggressive neoplasm. The prognosis is one of the worst among malignant skin tumors, since the overall 5-year survival rate is less than 30% [1]. Treatment includes surgical excision, radiation, chemotherapy and biological therapy, although the efficacy of these treatments is limited. Surgical excision with negative margins combined with chemotherapy is the most successful strategy for improving the prospect for survival [2].Pazopanib is an orally bioavailable [...]
TREATMENT OF HEMANGIOMA OF THE SKIN IN INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD BY ROENTGEN IRRADIATION AND RADIUM
AbstractA group of 323 cases of hemangioma of the skin were studied and follow-up results are given. The majority were of the cavernous and strawberry types. The classifications given are according to the relative sensitivity to irradiation. Various groups are separated depending on the type of treatment used. The sites of predilection are the head and face. Complications are not frequent if treatment is given carefully.
Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine · 2018 · 8 citations · open access
Extensive Cutaneous Scalp Angiosarcoma
AbstractAngiosarcoma is a cancer that is derived from endothelial cells that line blood vessels and lymphatic channels. Cutaneous angiosarcoma can appear anywhere on the skin and the clinical presentation is highly variable. Most cases appear on the scalp and face de novo. Our case describes a 91-year-old female with cutaneous scalp angiosarcoma. Our case serves to remind physicians that an abnormal skin finding in older adults should raise their index of suspicion for angiosarcoma and an early biopsy should be performed.
British Journal of Dermatology · 1985 · 7 citations
The histopathological and immunopathological diagnosis of angiosarcoma of the face and scalp
AbstractAngiosarcoma of the face and scalp (AS) may be associated with a better prognosis if the lesions are detected early in their development. However, the diagnosis of AS is hindered by its variable histopathology. We have examined cutaneous biopsies from 71 patients with AS to identify the most characteristic histological features. In addition, immunoperoxidase labelling was performed on selected cases for UEA‐I binding. Factor VIII RA, laminin, vimentin and two antigens recognised by the monoclonal antibodies 4E6 (supplied by Dr Spry, Hammersmith Hospital) and PAL‐E (Schlingeman et al., 1985). All the tumours showed areas recognizable as vascular channels, with atypical endothelial linings, but various degrees of differentiation were seen. The majority of tumours showed well‐differentiated areas of collagen dissection (75%) and tumour giant cells (80%). Half the cases showed solid patches of poorly differentiated spindle cell or carcinoma‐like change and in some this represented the major change. The three predominant histological patterns were examined for the presence of endothelial markers. Well‐differentiated areas of collagen dissection showed uniform positive labelling by all markers except Factor VIIIRA, which gave patchy positivity and PAL‐E which highlighted only normal vessels. Reduced positivity was seen in areas of luminal proliferation of tumour cells and labelling was generally absent in poorly differentiated solid areas. Our studies demonstrate the range of histopathological and immunopathological appearances in AS. However, loss of normal endothelial cell markers from well‐differentiated vascular channels may represent the earliest stage of malignant change.
International Journal of Surgery Case Reports · 2025 · 0 citations · open access
Destructive upper limb malignant ulcer: A case report of angiosarcoma
AbstractINTRODUCTION: Angiosarcomas are rare malignant neoplasms arising from vascular or lymphatic endothelial cells, characterised by aggressive local invasion and a high propensity for early metastasis. They commonly affect the head and neck regions in elderly individuals. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 43-year-old woman who presented with a four-year history of a progressive ulcerative lesion, foul-smelling, fungating, extending from the left hand to the mid-forearm, associated with limb dysfunction and anaemia. Previous local excisions were performed without histopathological evaluation. Clinical and radiological features were suggestive of malignancy. Incisional biopsy raised suspicion for malignant melanoma. However, following trans-humeral amputation, histopathological examination was suggestive of high-grade angiosarcoma, which was subsequently confirmed by immunohistochemistry. DISCUSSION: Histologically, angiosarcomas can pose a diagnostic challenge due to their overlapping morphology with other spindle cell malignancies such as malignant melanoma. Immunohistochemistry is important in confirming angiosarcoma, and CD31 is the most sensitive immunohistochemical marker. Metastatic work up with appropriate imaging is important due to early metastasis tendency of angiosarcoma. Owing to the high cost of immunohistochemistry and advanced imaging, and chemoradiotherapy, diagnosis, staging and treatment of angiosarcoma in lower-middle income countries is challenging. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by angiosarcoma in resource-limited settings.
Journal of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Research · 2015 · 0 citations · open access
Hobnail hemangioma of the skin in a juvenile patient
AbstractHobnail hemangioma is a rare, benign, vascular lesion with peculiar but commonly misleading morphology, located mostly on the extremities or trunk, and affects young and middle-aged adults with a slightly male predominance. A new typical case in a 17-year-old girl is presented. A single, small, painless skin lesion appeared in an early childhood on the lateral part of the right thigh, and was linked with scratching a previous pigmented lesion. Microscopic examination of the completely removed lesion revealed typical morphology. Prominent endothelial cells were podoplanin-negative and CD34-positive. There was no recurrence after four years follow-up.
Indian Journal of Veterinary Pathology · 2015 · 0 citations · open access
Spontaneous cutaneous hemangiosarcoma in mice
AbstractTwo cases of spontaneous cutaneous hemangiosarcoma in Swiss mice are reported. Two terminal breeder female mice were presented with the history of subcutaneous swelling and ulceration of skin with or without necrosis. The tumour masses were recovered and examined for gross and histopathological alterations. Histopathological features were consistent with hemangiosarcoma. No evidence of metastasis was found in visceral organs.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works using Disease Ontology synonyms, resolved on OpenAlex.
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