Insulin-like growth factor 2 and potential regulators of hemangioma growth and involution identified by large-scale expression analysis

摘要

Hemangiomas are benign tumors of the vascular endothelium and are the most common tumors of infancy. These tumors are char- acterized by an initial phase of rapid proliferation, which is fol- lowed, in most cases, by spontaneous involution. Although most lesions resolve without complication, there are some cases in which hemangiomas can be life threatening when occurring near a vital structure. Treatment for these aggressive tumors represents an unmet clinical need. In addition, this characteristic progression of hemangiomas through distinct phases provides a unique op- portunity for studying endothelial cell biology and angiogenesis.