An Update on the Treatment of Hemangiomas in Children With Interferon Alfa-2a

Abstract

HEMANGIOMAS are the most common head and neck tumors diagnosed in pediatric patients, affecting nearly 10% of white children and 22 % of premature infants.1,2 These vascular lesions preferentially affect girls by a 3:1 margin. Initially appearing as an erythematous macular region, hemangiomas enter a proliferative phase and may grow to a relatively large size. After reaching a growth plateau in early childhood, spontaneous regression is the rule, with 50% of lesions resolving by 5 years of age and 70% by 7 years of age.3