Infantile hemangiomas, encapsulated cavernous venous lesions appear immunohistochemically distinct

This study found that infantile hemangiomas and encapsulated cavernous venous lesion (ECVL) of the orbit are truly histogenetically unrelated entities in keeping with their disparate clinical and ultrastructural findings. The study's results also support the interpretation that ECVLs are more closely related to a malformation than a benign neoplasm.

The authors compared immunohistochemical data from 10 infantile hemangiomas and 10 encapsulated ECVLs.

All cases reacted strongly with the traditional vascular endothelial cell markers, CD31 and CD34, and were negative for D2-40, a lymphatic endothelium antibody. All infantile hemangiomas, but no ECVLs, were positive for GLUT-1 (glucose transporter type 1). Smooth muscle actin was present in vascular elements of both lesions and in the interstitial stroma of ECVLs. Ki67 was strongly positive in infantile hemangiomas but negative in ECVLs.

In infantile hemangiomas, Ki-67 positivity was observed in the endothelial cells of the solid and more ectatic regions. In contrast, the virtual absence of Ki-67 positivity in ECVLs lends further support to the interpretation that they are more closely related to a malformation than a benign neoplasm.