Treatment of haemangioma by oral prednisone therapy

Summary

9 patients affected by rapidly enlarging haemangiomas have been treated by oral prednisone administration.

Among these patients, 7 were females and 2 males. The age ranged from 45 days to 2 years. Haemangiomas were of the mixed “strawberry” and cavernous type (with the exception of 1 case which was of the deep cavernous type). The haemangiomas were localized in the face or in the parotid region in 7 cases, in the vulvar region in 1 case, and in the mammary region in 1 case (female).

Patients received prednisone dosages of 1.5 mg/kg daily for 3 days, then 1.0 mg/kg daily for the duration of 4 weeks in 5 cases. In 2 cases the duration was 3 weeks, and in 2 cases was 2 weeks. In 3 cases a second therapeutic course of 3 weeks was prescribed, from 3 to 1 months after the withdrawal of the first cycle.

In 4 cases significant reduction of the lesion was obtained within 2 weeks of treatment, and persisted after a follow-up period of 6 months (2 cases), 3 months (1 case) and 1 month (1 case). In 4 cases the lesions ceased to increase in size and remained static after follow-up periods of 3–4 months. In 1 case the lesion was still enlarging 1 month after the withdrawal of a 3 week therapeutic course.

Better results were obtained in younger patients (under 6 months of age) and in haemangiomas localized in the face or parotid region. No rebound effect was observed.

On the whole, these results can be considered as positive ones, and support the impression that, in particular cases of haemangioma, prednisone may be an effective means of therapy, allowing one to adopt a waiting attitude otherwise impossible in such cases.