Objective: To investigate the level and difference of estrogen receptor (ER), progestogen receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR) in hemangioma tissues of Children.
Methods: 31 specimens of hemangioma and 36 specimens of vascular malformation were compound stained with hematoxylin-eosin and enzyme-linking affinitive immunohistochemistry. The prepared tissue slices were examined microscopically to find the ER, PR and AR in all the cells.
Results: The ER, PR and AR were detected in the two kinds of the tissue. However, their levels in the hemangioma were higher than those in the vascular malformation (P < 0.01) and the levels in the hemangioma of proliferating phase were higher than those in the hemangioma of regressive phase (P < 0.01).
Conclusions: Hemangioma is one of the target tissues of estrogen. ER, PR and AR play an important role in the growth and development of hemangiomas. The binding site of the receptor may be occupied by extrogenous glucocorticoid so that hemangiomas gradually degenerates.