Can hemangiomas go untreated?

Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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The severity of harm varies with different types of hemangiomas, such as in adults with mixed-type hemangiomas. These can continually develop as the patient ages. If the affected areas expand further, they may extend to tissues and organs like the eyes, nose, lips, or ears. These organs might then become covered by the expanding vascular tissue, potentially causing impairments in functions such as breathing, eating, vision, and hearing. If hemangiomas appear on the limbs, they can also lead to dysfunction, affecting mobility. Therefore, it is advisable to seek treatment for hemangiomas as early as possible.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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What should be noted about hemangiomas of the liver?

For patients with hepatic hemangioma, the precautions mainly include the following points: First, the severity of hepatic hemangioma is primarily related to its size. Therefore, patients with small hemangiomas usually do not show obvious symptoms and do not require special treatment. It is sufficient to regularly re-examine them with color ultrasound to dynamically observe changes in size. However, for patients with large hepatic hemangiomas, which often cause rupture and bleeding, attention should be paid. Interventional surgery can be used to achieve embolization, thus achieving the purpose of treatment. Second, patients with hepatic hemangioma should also avoid spicy and irritating foods, as well as foods that are difficult to digest, in order to lessen the burden on the liver and help control the progression of the disease.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Can people with hemangioma drink alcohol?

Hemangiomas are benign tumors of the blood vessels. It is advisable for patients with hemangiomas to abstain from alcohol, as drinking is a harmful stimulus. Prolonged alcohol consumption can lead to hardening of the vessels, which may easily cause rupture and bleeding of the hemangiomas, leading to adverse consequences. Therefore, once hemangiomas are detected, it is recommended to reduce or avoid alcohol consumption. Although hemangiomas are generally benign tumors and often do not cause significant damage to the body, some hemangiomas, due to their specific growth location and size, can sometimes lead to rupture and bleeding or affect bodily functions, thereby significantly impacting the quality of life. Such cases may require active surgical treatment, administration of sclerosing agents, or certain medications and physical therapies.

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Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
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Is hemangioma in children easy to treat?

The treatment of hemangiomas is relatively simple, involving surgical removal, with generally good prognosis. Hemangiomas in children can be categorized into two types: true hemangiomas and vascular malformations. True hemangiomas include a rapid growth phase, a rest phase, and an involution phase. Therefore, if a child has a true hemangioma, it is possible that it will regress naturally, and parents do not need to be overly anxious about treatment. The second type is vascular malformations, which do not have a clear proliferative phase, resting phase, or regression phase, and usually exist from birth. If not treated, it is very likely to persist throughout life; however, it can be treated with surgery and the use of sclerosing agents among other methods.

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Written by Zhang Cui Xiang
Pediatrics
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Best treatment time for infantile hemangioma

The optimal time to treat hemangiomas in infants is generally around the age of one year, as the vascular circulation becomes visible as bright red birthmarks on the baby's body. These types of hemangiomas are cutaneous and can be effectively cured through laser treatment in early childhood. The earlier the treatment is applied, the better the outcome; the effectiveness diminishes over time. If the hemangioma does not affect the infant's appearance and is relatively small, treatment can be postponed. It is advisable to choose the timing of treatment based on the specific circumstances of the infant. If the hemangioma is large, it is recommended to seek timely laser surgery treatment at a reputable tertiary hospital.

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Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
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Can hemangiomas be left untreated?

Hemangiomas on the head and face, and those around the eyes, tend to invade the eyeballs or cause complications such as glaucoma. Hemangiomas in the parotid gland area can compress or damage the facial nerve, leading to facial paralysis. Nasal hemangiomas may block the nasal passages, causing deformities of the nostrils. Lip hemangiomas, due to friction from sucking or eating, are prone to rupture causing deformities of the lip; ear hemangiomas, because of poor blood circulation, are prone to infection after rupture. Hemangiomas on the limbs and body, due to the rapid growth of some, can invade muscle tissue, bones, or joints, causing local pain and, in severe cases, joint deformities and other functional symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to treat hemangiomas.