Infantile haemangiopericytoma of the hand

Infantile Hemangiopericytoma

Infantile hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is an uncommon tumor that arises from Zimmermann pericytes. It occurs before 12 months of age and may be present at birth, so intrauterine detection by sonography is possible. These solid, vascular neoplasms typically occur in the subcutaneous tissues of the head and neck and follow a benign course. Diagnosis of infantile HPC must be made by histology, and surgical resection is the most common method of treatment.

Preoperative chemotherapy to salvage the hand in a case of giant infantile hemangiopericytoma

Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare vascular tumor arising from contractile cells around blood vessels, with the potential for malignant degeneration. Up to 10% of HPC occurs in children. Standard therapy for this tumor is surgical excision. We report the case of a 6-month-old infant with giant HPC involving the hand. Chemotherapy resulted in a decrease in tumor size, allowing for salvage of most of the hand and fingers. Preoperative chemotherapy should be considered in the care of HPC tumors involving the upper extremity in children.