title: Low dose recombinant interferon alfa treatment for classic Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High doses of interferon alfa are used to treat Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with immunodeficiency, whereas low doses are generally ineffective. Following low-dose recombinant interferon alfa treatment for lymphoma, two patients showed a regression of their hematologic malignancy-associated Kaposi's sarcoma. This observation prompted us also to try low-dose interferon alfa treatment in uncomplicated classic Kaposi's sarcoma, and two additional patients were thus treated on an outpatient basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Initial response was noted after 3 to 13 weeks of treatment. Remission was achieved after 4 to 6 months of low-dose interferon alfa treatment and its duration was 8 to 14 months. Recurrences were treated again and additional remissions were obtained after only 5 to 8 weeks of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose interferon alfa treatment may represent an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of patients with both lymphoma-associated and uncomplicated classic Kaposi's sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tur
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michalevicz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000628:therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins