Treatment of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with combination chemotherapy: Report of three cases and review of the literature

No standard therapy for pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) has yet been established due to the rarity of the disease, the lack of clear standards for treatment and the partial-to-complete spontaneous regression. This report describes three cases of PHE manifested as bilateral intrapulmonary masses with an initial diagnosis conducted by thoracoscopic lung biopsy. These patients demonstrated a partial response to combination chemotherapy with carboplatin, paclitaxel, bevacizumab or endostar, and an improvement in clinical status. Furthermore, we reviewed the literature regarding such patients who received chemotherapy and immunotherapy; this indicated that patients with PEH demonstrated a good partial response to chemotherapy with carboplatin, paclitaxel, bevacizumab, thalidomide and a-interferon. Overall, combination chemotherapy regimens may hold therapeutic potential for the treatment of this rare disease.