Can hemangiomas go untreated?

Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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The severity of harm varies with different types of hemangiomas, such as in adults with mixed-type hemangiomas. These can continually develop as the patient ages. If the affected areas expand further, they may extend to tissues and organs like the eyes, nose, lips, or ears. These organs might then become covered by the expanding vascular tissue, potentially causing impairments in functions such as breathing, eating, vision, and hearing. If hemangiomas appear on the limbs, they can also lead to dysfunction, affecting mobility. Therefore, it is advisable to seek treatment for hemangiomas as early as possible.

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Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
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Is it normal for a child to have hemangioma?

It is not normal for children to have hemangiomas. Hemangiomas are usually caused by congenital vascular malformations and may also be caused by hereditary factors resulting in true hemangiomas. However, regardless of the case, they are considered abnormal. Hemangiomas can be divided into two types: true hemangiomas and vascular malformations. True hemangiomas have a certain possibility of self-healing, so parents can temporarily observe. If the child does not heal by themselves after the age of five, timely treatment should be administered. Once a vascular malformation occurs, if it is not treated, it may persist throughout life. If it grows in some inconspicuous places on the skin surface, treatment may not be necessary. However, hemangiomas in the internal organs should receive enough attention and be treated as soon as possible.

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Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
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The difference between lipomas and hemangiomas

Lipomas and hemangiomas are not the same disease and are not directly related. Lipomas generally occur in superficial parts of the body, sometimes in the muscle layer. Lipomas typically have a complete capsule and exhibit a lobulated shape. They are usually soft, and patients do not exhibit obvious local symptoms. On the other hand, hemangiomas often occur in solid organs, including liver hemangiomas, spleen hemangiomas, and kidney hemangiomas. Hemangiomas can also appear in superficial areas, such as the skin where they can form strawberry-like lesions, causing discomfort due to their appearance. However, most hemangiomas do not tend to enlarge and are benign, requiring no special treatment.

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Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
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Can hemangiomas resolve on their own?

Infantile hemangiomas may regress spontaneously in some cases, so for lesions that are relatively stable in growth, temporary observation without treatment is recommended, especially avoiding surgical treatment. Radiation therapy, which may cause secondary developmental deformities, is not recommended. Medicinal treatment mainly involves the use of steroids and interferons. Steroid therapy is the most common drug treatment for hemangiomas, with the first reports of using steroids for hemangiomas appearing in the mid to late 1960s. Since then, prednisone and prednisolone have been considered first-line drugs for treating life-threatening or vision-threatening hemangiomas. The effective rate of steroid treatment for hemangiomas varies from 30% to 90%. Therefore, we suggest that since infantile hemangiomas can regress on their own, lesions that are stable in growth can be temporarily observed.

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Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
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Do hemangiomas exist from birth?

The specific pathogenesis and causes of hemangiomas are not very clear. Their formation is usually related to multiple factors, and some children have congenital hemangiomas. For example, cases of congenital vascular malformations usually appear right after birth, but there are also some hemangiomas that form later in life, and even some adults may develop hemangiomas, so it is not necessarily congenital. If the hemangioma occurs in a part of the skin that is not particularly noticeable, it can be observed for the time being, as it does not cause serious harm to health. However, if the hemangioma is located in a more critical area, such as inside an organ, or if it develops very rapidly, it should be given adequate attention and examined and treated in a timely manner.

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Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
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Can hemangiomas be left untreated?

Hemangiomas on the head and face, and those around the eyes, tend to invade the eyeballs or cause complications such as glaucoma. Hemangiomas in the parotid gland area can compress or damage the facial nerve, leading to facial paralysis. Nasal hemangiomas may block the nasal passages, causing deformities of the nostrils. Lip hemangiomas, due to friction from sucking or eating, are prone to rupture causing deformities of the lip; ear hemangiomas, because of poor blood circulation, are prone to infection after rupture. Hemangiomas on the limbs and body, due to the rapid growth of some, can invade muscle tissue, bones, or joints, causing local pain and, in severe cases, joint deformities and other functional symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to treat hemangiomas.