Identification of Biomarkers for Patients with Vascular Anomalies

While vascular anomalies are rare diseases, they can be life-threatening and devastating to affected children and their families. Advances in diagnosis, monitoring and therapies will be significantly improved if non-invasive biomarkers that are sensitive and specific can be identified. Obtaining a tissue biopsy to help in diagnosis can actually worsen the disease and so identification of specific blood biomarkers is highly desirable. Studies will measure angiogenic factors in serum and plasma samples at baseline and on therapy. Tissue removed during surgical resection or blood removed prior to sclerotherapy will be used to obtain cells and tissue for the assessment of where biomarkers are coming from and to identify disease-causing pathways for new therapeutic targeting.