Sirolimus in the Treatment for Infantile Hepatic Hemangioendothelioma(IEEH)

According to the World Health Organization(WHO) classification of digestive system tumors in the fourth edition in 2010, infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHHE) is an infantile hemangioma involving the liver. It is a benign tumor, which can be subgrouped into focal, multifocal, and diffusing in children, as well as combining vascular malformations of the skin, brain, digestive tract and other organs.Since 2008, propranolol has been used for the treatment of hemangioma, and some researchers have also started to report the use of propranolol for the treatment of infantile hepatic hemangioma in children.And more and more clinicians unanimously recommend propranolol as first-line medication for the treatment of IHHE.However, there are few solutions to propranolol-resistant IHHE. Sirolimus is a serine/threonine kinase which plays a pivotal role in cell mortality, angiogenesis and cell growth. Sirolimus can be used in patients with vascular malformations such as hemangiomas. Children with vascular malformations received 0.1mg/kg of sirolimus orally every day and maintained the blood concentration at 8-15ng/ml. The lesions gradually disappear with time going on. Therefore, sirolimus can be used as a second-line medicine for refractory hemangioma and vascular malformation.Interestingly, the investigator's previous study which is retrospective analysis of 30 patients has indicated the effective rate of propranolol alone in treating infantile hepatic endothelial tumor (IHHE) was 57.7%, while that of sequential treatment combined with sirolimus was 84.6%.So, this clinical trial is going to explore the efficacy of sequential treatment of sirolimus to refractory IHHE patients resistant with propranolol,to improve the therapeutic effect,furtherly, reduce the side effects of traditional treatment methods (hormones, interferon), as well as the number of operations and interventions and to provide a clinical guide for the novel therapeutics model of propranolol combined with sirolimus for sequential treatment of infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma.

• Sirolimus Oral Product (Drug), also known as TORISEL, rapamycin: Patients with IHHE wil be treated with propranolol (1 mg / kg , twice a day, after meals), and then evaluation will be performed after 3 months (changes of the tumor size measured by ultrasound examination, and changes of tumor volume measured by abdominal enhancement CT).It will be admitted into the group once the tumor volume shrinks <30%.Then propanolol combined with sirolimus will be given. Propranolol will be given at 1mg/kg,twice a day and sirolimus will be given at 0.8mg/m²(body surface area), twice a day. Recording and doing assessment of tumor size, adverse effects as well as complicated symptoms.
• propranolol (Drug), also known as xin de an (chinese name means making me comfortable): Patients with IHHE wil be treated with propranolol (1 mg / kg , twice a day, after meals), and then evaluation will be performed after 3 months (changes of the tumor size measured by ultrasound examination, and changes of tumor volume measured by abdominal enhancement CT).It will be admitted into the group once the tumor volume shrinks <30%.Then propanolol combined with sirolimus will be given. Propranolol will be given at 1mg/kg,twice a day and sirolimus will be given at 0.8mg/m²(body surface area), twice a day. Recording and doing assessment of tumor size, adverse effects as well as complicated symptoms.

Primary outcomes

• Change of tumor size [1 month]: measuring the tumor size by ultrasound

Secondary outcomes

• Change of PIVKA-II [1 month]: Using PIVKA-II assay kit (ARCHITECT I2000SR REFURB, Abbott, America).
• Change of alpha-1 fetoprotein (AFP) [1 month]: Using the AFP assay kit (ARCHITECT AFP, Abbott, America).

Sex: All, ages: 1 Month to 36 Months

Inclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed as IHHE
* Age between 1 month and 36 months
* Receiving propranolol for 3 months but the tumor size shrinks <30%
* With written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed as hepatoblastoma
* Have accepted surgical resection
* Clinical data missing
* Patients with Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon
* Receiving propranolol for 3 months and the tumor size shrinks >30%

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• Song Gu, Doctor, Study chair, Shanghai Children's Medical Center