How we approach hemangiomas in infants

Jennifer L R Mayer1, Stefanos Intzes2, Vikash S Oza3

  • 1Vascular Anomalies and Birthmarks Program, Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.

Pediatric oncologists are increasingly involved in the management of benign vascular tumors and their associated life-threatening complications. Hemangiomas are the most common referring diagnosis to multidisciplinary vascular anomalies clinics. However, as contemporary research has revealed, hemangiomas are not a single, easily defined entity but rather a diverse set of related vascular tumors, each having a unique natural history, growth pattern, and response to therapy. This manuscript seeks to illustrate how we evaluate and manage these complex tumors, their complications, and associated syndromes, while remaining ever vigilant for malignant hemangioma mimickers such as soft tissue sarcomas and congenital leukemia.

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