Radiation therapy for AIDS-related Kaposi's Sarcoma.
Between March 1982 and October 1987, 375 fields in 187 patients with AIDS-related Kaposi's Sarcoma were treated in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF). Field sizes ranging from 2 x 2 cm to total skin received doses of 8 Gy in a single fraction to 15-40 Gy in 5-10 fractions. Seventy-four percent of the patients have died. Response to treatment was achieved in over 90% of treated fields, with a median time to progression of 21 months and an actuarial freedom from relapse at 6 months of 69% (97 patients alive). There was no difference in outcome regardless of the fractionation regimen used. Severe reactions were noted in 17% of treated fields, but this incidence was significantly lower when a single fraction of 8 Gy was used (p less than 0.001). Radiation therapy plays an important palliative role in this devastating disease. This review supports the use of a single 8 Gy fraction for all Kaposi's Sarcoma lesions of the skin. Further data regarding single fraction therapy for lesions of other sites are needed.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
A M
AM
Berson
J M
JM
Quivey
J W
JW
Harris
W M
WM
Wara
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000328:Adult; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016019:Survival Analysis