title: Indocyanine green and laser light for the treatment of AIDS-associated cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: Indocyanine green (ICG) is clinically approved for the determination of liver function, cardiac output and plasma volume. In this pilot study, ICG was used as photosensitizer in combination with a diode laser to treat AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in three patients. Directly and up to 50 min after intravenous administration of ICG (2-4 mg kg(-1) body weight), KS (n=57), mainly plaque-type, were irradiated using a diode laser (lambda em=805 nm, 100 J cm[-2], 0.5-5 W cm[-2]) matching the absorption maximum. Complete remission of KS (n=16) was achieved when irradiated 1-30 min after injection of the second dose of ICG (2 x 2 mg kg(-1) b.w., 30 min apart) with 3-5 W cm(-2) and 100 J cm(-2). Biopsies (n=3) revealed necrosis of the tumour 24 h and complete remission 4 weeks after therapy. In general, systemic side-effects were not observed and cosmetic results were very good. However, hyperpigmentation occurred temporarily in lesions located on the lower extremities. These findings show that AIDS-associated KS can be effectively treated after photosensitization with ICG and subsequent irradiation with an appropriate diode laser. However, additional investigations need to elucidate the exact mechanism of action of ICG-mediated phototherapy and have to show the efficacy for the treatment of other highly vascularized solid tumours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abels
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karrer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bäumler
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landthaler
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Szeimies
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green