[Radiotherapy of epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma: the experience of the Henri-Mondor Hospital (643 patients)].
OBJECTIVE
Retrospective analysis of results of radiotherapy in epidemic Kaposi sarcoma at the Henri-Mondor hospital.


METHODS
From June 1986 to December 1996, 643 patients presenting with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma were treated with irradiation at the Oncology Department of Henri Mondor University Hospital. Three-hundred eighty-seven patients (60%) had previously received a treatment with interferon (259 patients, 40.2%), vinblastine (225 patients, 34.5%), doxorubicin (22 patients, 3.4%), bleomycin (19 patients, 2.9%), and/or antiviral treatment (216, 33.5%). The radiotherapy was delivered by 4 MeV or 8 MeV electron beam for extended cutaneous fields and 45-100 kV x-ray for localized fields. The delivered dose was 20 Gy in 2 weeks (2.5 Gy/fraction, 4 fractions/week) followed by 2 weeks rest and second series of 10 Gy in 1 week. For oral cavity lesions, we used a series of 15.2 Gy was delivered (1.9 Gy/fraction, 4 fractions/week), followed for three patients by a 3 week rest and by a similar second series of 15.2 Gy.


RESULTS
Six-hundred and twenty-one patients were evaluable and the objective response rate was 92%, with a complete regression of clinical and functional symptoms for all patients. The skin tolerance was good, with 7.3% grade I reactions, 69.3% of grade II reactions, and 23.4% grade III reactions. There was a correlation between recurrence rate and the occurrence of opportunistic infections.


CONCLUSIONS
This analysis shows the efficacy of dose radiotherapy for treatment of epidemic Kaposi sarcoma.
Bélembaogo
E
E
Département de cancérologie, hôpital Henri-Mondor, Créteil, France.
Kirova
Y
Y
Frikha
H
H
Yu
S J
SJ
Piedbois
P
P
Le Bourgeois
J P
JP
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*