Can hemangiomas go untreated?

Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
Updated on September 12, 2024
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
43sec home-news-image

Is a hemangioma initially a red spot?

Hemangiomas indeed start as a red dot, and as the condition worsens or the hemangioma grows, some may gradually form patch-like appearances or well-demarcated lumps that rise above the skin. A primary characteristic is that the color of the hemangioma disappears when pressed, and the skin color lightens. When the external pressure is reduced or released, the hemangioma refills with blood and turns dark red or purple-red. This characteristic is very important for the diagnosis of hemangiomas. Therefore, patients with hemangiomas must seek early and timely consultation, examination, and treatment in dermatology (cosmetic science) or surgery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
1min 7sec home-news-image

Is a hemangioma a tumor?

Hemangiomas are formed by the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells during embryonic development and are commonly seen in congenital benign tumors or vascular malformations of the skin and soft tissues, mostly observed at birth or shortly after birth. The residual embryonic vascular endothelial cells, active endothelial-like embryonic buds invade adjacent tissues, forming endothelial-like cords, which after canalization connect with existing blood vessels to form hemangiomas. The blood vessels within the tumor form a separate system, not connected to surrounding blood vessels. Hemangiomas can occur throughout the body; those occurring in the oral and maxillofacial regions account for 60% of all hemangiomas, followed by 25% in the trunk and 15% in the limbs. Therefore, some hemangiomas are congenital benign tumors, while others are caused by vascular malformations.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
58sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
1min 10sec home-news-image

What should I do if there is a hemangioma on my tongue?

Hemangioma is a benign tumor that occurs in blood vessels, and the specific etiology and pathogenesis are not clear clinically. The tongue is a common site for hemangiomas. For hemangiomas on the tongue, it is necessary to comprehensively assess based on the type of hemangioma, location, depth of tissue invasion, the proximity to surrounding tissues, and the patient’s own physical condition, among other factors, to determine the most beneficial treatment method. Currently, the clinical treatments for hemangiomas include surgical treatment, radiation therapy, local sclerotherapy, laser treatment, or pharmacotherapy. Currently, there is no single clinical method that can completely treat all types of hemangiomas. For hemangiomas on the tongue that do not affect the overall function of the tongue, conservative treatment can be considered. For hemangiomas that have caused tongue ulcers, medication can be given to protect the mucous membrane of the tongue and promote faster healing of the ulcers.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
1min 7sec home-news-image

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.