title: Identification of serum regression signs in infantile hemangioma.
abstract: Vessel proliferation underlies a number of serious pathological conditions. Infantile Hemangioma (IH) is a low-aggressive vascular tumor, interesting as an in vivo model of spontaneous tumor regression. Identifying mechanisms underlying IH spontaneous regression may then help to elucidate vessel-growth control, strongly deregulated in other serious conditions such as sarcoma, melanoma, diabetic retinopathy. The present study was aimed at identifying early regression indicators within hematological parameters. Thirty-four blood samples were collected from IH diagnosed babies (20-months median age), spontaneously regressing with age. Nineteen serum standard blood-tests were carried out using diagnostic reagents; in addition, serum-expression of 27 cytokine/chemokines was measured. Samples were divided in three age-groups, namely ≤ 12, 13 to 24 and >24 months-age, respectively. Red-cells count, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, MCP-1 and MIP-1beta were significantly different in the three age-groups, according to one-way ANOVA analysis. The same parameters showed a significant Pearson-correlation with age, supporting the direct link of age with IH-regression. ROC analysis showed that red-cells count, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, MCP-1 and MIP-1beta levels significantly discriminate IH in the proliferating-phase from IH in the regressing-phase. Such data indicate for the first time that standard hematological tests and cytokine serum-expression values may effectively discriminate proliferating- from regressing-IH, unrevealing early regression signs, and demonstrate that standard blood-tests may have novel unsuspected diagnostic/prognostic relevance in altered vessel-growth conditions.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Arcangelo
authors.affiliation: Divisione Chirurgia Plastica, Centro Anomalie Vascolari, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ezio M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Nicodemi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Ematologia, Oncologia e Medicina Molecolare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics - Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giampietri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Ematologia, Oncologia e Medicina Molecolare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Facchiano
authors.affiliation: Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Facchiano
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000097:blood*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018925:Chemokines; D006454:Hemoglobins