Oral etoposide for Kaposi's Mediterranean sarcoma.
22 patients affected by locally aggressive or generalized form of Kaposi's Mediterranean sarcoma were treated with oral etoposide (VP16) as single-drug therapeutic regimen. Of the 17 evaluable patients, 10 were pretreated with other chemotherapeutic regimens. VP16 was administered at the dose of 100 mg daily for 3-5 days every 3 weeks for 3 times during induction, then every 4 weeks for 10-12 times during maintenance. Hematological (35.2%) and gastrointestinal (64.7%) toxicities were always mild and swiftly reversible. Good percentages of objective responses were achieved in both nonpretreated (85.6%) and pretreated (70%) patients. The chemotherapeutic regimen employed, the way of drug administration, the results as well as the comparison to another study with vinblastine are discussed.
Brambilla
L
L
Second Department of Dermatology, University of Milan, Italy.
Boneschi
V
V
Fossati
S
S
Melotti
E
E
Clerici
M
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001761:Bleomycin; D015251:Epirubicin; D014747:Vinblastine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin