What's new in infantile hemangiomas: current insights and future perspectives

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign vascular tumors of infancy. Their hallmark feature is the spontaneous involution over months to years after an initial rapid proliferation. The exact origin of infantile hemangiomas and the pathogenetic mechanism(s) of their life cycle are still unknown, but recent findings, including multipotent hemangioma-derived stem cells, vasculogenic activity, and response to hypoxic stimuli, give new insights into this common yet puzzling vascular tumor. beta-Blockers have been recently introduced as effective therapy alongside conventional modalities, such as corticosteroids and lasers. Better understanding of the pathogenesis is needed in the future to ensure a more focused treatment approach with high efficacy and good safety.