Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Neurosurgery >
  • ... >
  • Brain >
  • Conditions >
  • Brain Tumors >
  • Hemangiopericytoma Tumors
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Conditions
Brain Tumors
Conditions
Our Experts
Treatments
Pituitary and Skull Base Tumors
Neurovascular
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders & Epilepsy
Chiari Malformation
Trauma & Injury
Treatments
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Conditions
Brain Tumors
Conditions
Our Experts
Treatments
Pituitary and Skull Base Tumors
Neurovascular
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders & Epilepsy
Chiari Malformation
Trauma & Injury
Treatments
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Hemangiopericytoma Tumors

Hemangiopericytoma is a type of rare tumor involving blood vessels and soft tissues.

Learn about the treatment options for Hemangiopericytoma Tumors at the UPMC Pituitary Center of Excellence.

Contact the UPMC Department of Neurosurgery

To make an appointment or learn more:

  • Call us at 1-412-647-3685 or outside the U.S., call 1-877-320-8762.
  • Fill out our UPMC Neurosurgery contact form.
  • Overview
  • Symptoms & Diagnosis
  • Treatment

What is Hemangiopericytoma?

Hemangiopericytomas are a type of rare tumor involving blood vessels and soft tissues.

Hemangiopericytomas often are painless masses and may not have any associated symptoms.

These hemangiopericytoma tumors can originate anywhere in the body where there are capillaries. The most common locations reported are the brain, lower extremities, pelvic area, head, and neck.

Hemangiopericytomas can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Malignant hemangiopericytomas can metastasize or spread to other areas in the body, primarily the lungs and bones.

Hemangiopericytomas can be located in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Though rare, their prognosis is better because they tend to be less aggressive and do not metastasize.

At UPMC, the preferred surgical treatment for hemangiopericytomas in the head and neck is the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA). This innovative, minimally invasive technique uses the nose and nasal cavities as natural corridors to access hard-to-reach or previously inoperable tumors. Benefits of EEA include:

  • No incisions to heal
  • No disfigurement
  • Faster recovery time

Following surgery, you may also be treated with a boost of Gamma Knife® radiosurgery. This is a painless procedure that uses hundreds of highly focused radiation beams to target tumors and lesions within the brain, with no surgical incision.

Diagnosing Hemangiopericytoma

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you about symptoms you are experiencing.

Hemangiopericytoma symptoms

These tumors usually are painless masses, often without any associated symptoms. They can remain undetected for long periods of time, due to the fact that they originate in soft tissue that is flexible and easily makes room for the new mass.

When symptoms occur, they are likely to be associated with an enlarging mass. They can mimic meningiomas around the brain and skull base, causing neurologic disturbances.

Imaging and radiology testing for hemangiopericytoma

Imaging studies will reveal the exact location and size of the mass, as well as the extent of spread. Biopsy of the tissue allows for the identification of specific characteristics.

Hemangiopericytoma Treatments

UPMC's neurosurgical team may recommend a combination of surgical and non-surgical approachesfor hemangiopericytoma treatment.

Minimally invasive surgery

Surgical removal of the tumor is the primary treatment.

Hemangiopericytomas of the skull base may be approached directly using the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA). This state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approach allows surgeons to access the tumor through the natural corridor of the nose, without making an open incision. Surgeons then remove the hemangiopericytoma through the nose and nasal cavities.

EEA offers the benefits of no incisions to heal, no disfigurement, and a faster recovery time.

If you need complementary treatments, such as radiation, those therapies can begin soon after EEA surgery.

When evaluating you for treatment, our neurosurgeons will look at your hemangiopericytoma from every direction. We will find the surgical path that is least disruptive to your brain, critical nerves, and ability to return to normal functioning.

Gamma Knife® radiosurgery

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a painless procedure that uses hundreds of highly focused radiation beams to target tumors and lesions within the brain, with no surgical incision.

Gamma Knife treatment may be an option for people with residual tumor after surgery or for those who show delayed tumor progression despite an initial multipronged treatment. Gamma Knife is used to non-invasively boost the effectiveness of radiation delivered to the hemangiopericytoma tumor.

As the nation's leading provider of Gamma Knife procedures, UPMC has treated more than 12,000 patients with tumors, vascular malformations, pain, and other functional problems.

Our team may also perform stereotactic radiosurgery using the Cyberknife and other linear accelerator-based systems.

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy

Surgery may be followed by radiation therapy to prevent recurrence, usually localized to the postoperative site and particularly in cases where the tumor was not totally removed.

Chemotherapy is also effective for treating malignant hemangiopericytomas and is often prescribed after surgery.

Quick Links

  • Patient Stories
  • For Pediatric Patients
  • Legacy of Innovation
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login