Giant cavernous haemangioma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome: a case report and review.
We report the case of a 4-month-old boy presenting with a giant cutaneous haemangioma complicated by Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) with severe thrombocytopenia. After poor response to corticosteroid therapy and subsequent treatment with interferon alpha-2a, radiotherapy led to tumour regression and resolution of the disseminated intravascular coagulopathy over a 14-month period of follow up. Whereas the various available treatment options are reviewed and discussed in this article, the therapy of choice should be chosen individually.


CONCLUSIONS
to date prospective randomised and controlled trials are required to investigate the optimal management of patients with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome.
Frevel
Tanja
T
Department of Paediatrics, University Children's Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Strasse 33, 48149 Münster, Germany. Frevel@uni-muenster.de
Rabe
Heike
H
Uckert
Frank
F
Harms
Erik
E
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013577:Syndrome; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins