TREATMENT OF A SEVERE HEMANGIOMA WITH INT ERFERON-ALPHA-2B

Background. - Indications for active treatment of hemangiomas are thos e lesions which, by virtue of their size and site, compromise vital st ructures. The treatment of choice is oral or intravenous corticosteroi ds, but interferon alpha may represent alternative therapy. Case repor t. - A 15-day-old girl was admitted for congenital hypothyroidism. She had a large cervicofacial hemangioma extending to periorbital and lar yngeal areas. The patient was given systemic prednisone (2 mg/kg/day) and L-thyroxin without success. An episode of acute respiratory distre ss a few weeks later required tracheostomy while prednisone dosage was increased to 4 mg/kg/day. This drug was not tolerated and the hemangi oma was treated by particle embolization that was followed by a partia l decrease in the volume of the hemangioma. A second episode of cardio respiratory distress at 7 1/2 months of age required interferon alpha, 3 million units/m2/day, that was progressively effective. After 11 mo nths of treatment, the hemangioma disappeared, without relapse 6 month s later. Conclusion. - Interferon alpha is an interesting alternative therapy of infantile hemangiomas when they are resistant to steroid tr eatment.