title: Long-term therapy of HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma with recombinant interferon alpha-2a.
abstract: Five young male patients with HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) were treated with recombinant interferon alpha 2a (rIFN-alpha-2a) over a period of 2-2.5 years. An IFN dose of 18 x 10(6) IU was given subcutaneously every day during the first 3 months of treatment and then on alternate days. Additional treatment with radiotherapy and laser therapy was given and, in some cases, isolated skin nodules were excised. Within 7 months of initiation of therapy one patient had a complete remission of his tumours, however, tumour progression recurred after the patient discontinued treatment. In another patient the tumour cleared within 9 months of rIFN therapy, and after 52 months he is still free of KS. The condition of a third patient tended to become stabilized during the first 6 months of therapy, but after 60 months there has been a slow progression. The fourth and fifth patients died 25 and 28 months, respectively, after the histological diagnosis of KS and the initiation of treatment. While on therapy with rIFN-alpha-2a, no life-threatening opportunistic infections occurred. The side-effects were mostly well tolerated, and no severe changes in haematological parameters were caused by the therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Steglitz, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Schaart
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bratzke
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ruszczak
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stadler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ehlers
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Orfanos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I