Management of infantile hemangiomas : current and potential pharmacotherapeutic approaches

Infantile hemangiomas (IH), benign vascular neoplasms, are the most common tumors of infancy and childhood. Most IH are medically insignificant; however, a proportion will require treatment because of interference with vital structures, threat of significant disfigurement, ulceration, or bleeding. This article reviews current and potential pharmacotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of IH. While corticosteroids have long been considered the mainstay of medical therapy for IH, several new treatments have recently emerged, the most promising of which is oral propranolol. Topical timolol and imiquimod are additional new therapies that may also prove to be effective, particularly for the treatment of superficial IH.