Palliative treatment for HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma
dc.contributor.author | Barnardt P. | |
dc.contributor.author | Georgiev G.D. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2011-05-15T16:18:11Z | |
dc.date.available | 2011-05-15T16:18:11Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2003 | |
dc.description.abstract | Objective. To evaluate palliative treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in patients with HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The primary end-point was symptom relief; the secondary end-point was tumour response to treatment and overall survival. Methods. This study includes 100 patients with HIV-related KS. Combination chemotherapy was administered with ABV (doxorubicin, bleomycin and vincristine) (33 patients), or vinblastine and bleomycin (Vbl-B) (48 patients), depending on the CD4+ count at presentation. Radiotherapy was administered to 31 patients. Results. Symptomatic relief was noted within 4 weeks of chemotherapy and response after 8 weeks. Twenty-nine patients (29%) had partial responses, 8 patients (8%) achieved complete responses, and 37 patients (37%) had stable disease. Twenty-six patients (26%) had disease progression. The response rate was 37%, with clinical benefit achieved in 74% of patients. Patients who received radiation therapy for bleeding and painful ulcers had complete responses. Twenty-seven patients (27%) received 8 Gray (Gy) single fractions. Two lower-half bodies (8 Gy) and one upper-half body (6 Gy) were irradiated. Five patients received a course of radiation for nasopharyngeal and skeletal lesions (20 Gy), rectal lesions (30 Gy) and an eyelid lesion (12 Gy). Forty-two patients (42%) are alive, with a median survival of 11.2 months (range 2 - 49 months). Fifty-eight patients (58%) died due to progression of HIV disease or associated opportunistic infections with a median overall survival of 8.8 months (range 1 - 31 months). Conclusion. In the absence of antiretroviral therapy the care and prognosis of HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma remains dismal. However, symptomatic relief and an improved quality of life can still be offered. | |
dc.description.version | Article | |
dc.identifier.citation | Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine | |
dc.identifier.citation | 13 | |
dc.identifier.issn | 16089693 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/14546 | |
dc.subject | anthracycline derivative | |
dc.subject | antiretrovirus agent | |
dc.subject | bleomycin | |
dc.subject | CD4 antigen | |
dc.subject | cotrimoxazole | |
dc.subject | doxorubicin | |
dc.subject | paclitaxel | |
dc.subject | proteinase inhibitor | |
dc.subject | vinblastine | |
dc.subject | vincristine | |
dc.subject | acquired immune deficiency syndrome | |
dc.subject | adult | |
dc.subject | article | |
dc.subject | bleeding | |
dc.subject | blood toxicity | |
dc.subject | cancer chemotherapy | |
dc.subject | cancer growth | |
dc.subject | cancer mortality | |
dc.subject | cancer staging | |
dc.subject | cancer survival | |
dc.subject | controlled study | |
dc.subject | drug choice | |
dc.subject | drug response | |
dc.subject | drug tolerability | |
dc.subject | female | |
dc.subject | human | |
dc.subject | Human immunodeficiency virus infection | |
dc.subject | Kaposi sarcoma | |
dc.subject | major clinical study | |
dc.subject | male | |
dc.subject | neutropenia | |
dc.subject | opportunistic infection | |
dc.subject | palliative therapy | |
dc.subject | Pneumocystis pneumonia | |
dc.subject | prognosis | |
dc.subject | radiation dose | |
dc.subject | ulcer | |
dc.title | Palliative treatment for HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma | |
dc.type | Article |