title: [Vincristine treatment for function- and life-threatening infantile hemangioma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of vincristine treatment for function- and life-threatening hemangiomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine infants, eight girls and one boy, received vincristine treatment (VCR) for endangering hemangiomas. In six cases, the hemangiomas involved head and neck in a segmental unilateral or bilateral distribution (3/6 also had laryngeal and 2/6 tracheal location causing respiratory distress, 5/6 had eyelid and orbital involvement); one infant had disseminated neonatal hemangiomatosis (skin, liver, kidney); two infants had liver hemangiomas with cardiac failure. VCR was prescribed after failure of high-dosage corticosteroid treatment in six, and of both corticosteroids and interferon alpha 2b (5 months) in one; two infants received VCR as first line treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A dosage of 1 mg/m(2) IV injection was delivered, with weekly injections first, and then tapering, increasing the interval between injections, depending on the clinical response. The nine infants received from 5 to 25 injections (average: 16), for a length of treatment of 1.5-8 months (average: 5.5 months). In seven patients a clear clinical response was observed at the end of the first month of treatment, while a slow protracted response was noted in two. Transient mild side effects were present in four patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corticosteroid treatment, although a worldwide recognized treatment of problematic hemangiomas, cannot always control the growth of alarming hemangiomas. Interferon alpha 2a and 2b have proven a 90% effectiveness: treatment for cortico-resistant, function- and life-threatening, hemangiomas.
authors.affiliation: Consultation des angiomes, hôpital Lariboisière, AP-HP, 75010 Paris, France. odile.enjolras@lrb.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Enjolras
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Brevière
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tovi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varotti
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soupre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leverger
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014750:Vincristine