What is Haemangioendothelioma?
The term haemangioendothelioma is used to describe the cancer of blood vessels and capillaries. These may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Hemangioendothelioma can affect the skin and soft tissues of the body, such as the liver or lungs. It is a slowly growing tumour but tends to metastasize (spread of the tumour from its place of origin to other parts of the body).Disease Causes
There is no well-known cause. However certain genetic mutations are considered responsible for the development of haemangioendothelioma.Signs and Symptoms
The patient may suffer from the following signs and symptoms. These are- Constant Fever
- Unexplained weight loss
- Excessive sweating at the night
- Mass or abnormal growth in the tumour area
- Red or blue colour skin nodules
- Enlargement of the liver or spleen
- Pain in the abdomen
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnosis. These are- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH)
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
- Liver Function Test (LFT’s)
- Renal Function Test (RFT’s)
- Imaging diagnostic techniques such as X-Ray, CT-scan, and PET-scan can be used to detect the site, size, and extent of the tumour.
- Tumour Biopsy