title: Combined zidovudine and interferon-alpha treatment in patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: The effectiveness of addition of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) to zidovudine in patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma was assessed in a non-randomized, phase II clinical trial. Twenty-one patients were treated with oral zidovudine (600 mg daily) and IFN-alpha was increased to 18 MU daily for another 4 weeks. Only one of the 20 evaluable patients achieved a partial response at 8 weeks, that lasted for 3 months. Despite IFN-alpha dose escalation in six patients, no further responses were seen. While myelotoxicity was mild, fatigue was the dose-limiting side-effect that prevented dose escalation in seven eligible patients. The combined treatment did not result in a decrease in HIV-Ag. In summary, our results indicate that the addition of IFN-alpha to zidovudine in patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma is not an efficacious treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Danner
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Eeftinck Schattenkerk
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Veenhof
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015215:Zidovudine