Treatments of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma.
Although Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has decreased in countries where the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen is available, however it remains, after non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, the most common malignancy in HIV+ patients. Advances in the treatment of AIDS-KS have been achieved, even though a gold standard therapy has not been yet defined. With the availability of HAART, a dramatic KS clinical response has been documented, making HAART essential in all patients. In case of aggressive and/or life threatening KS, more complex therapeutic schedules have to be taken into account, including chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. Liposomal anthracyclines and paclitaxel have been approved by FDA as first line and second line mono-therapy, respectively. Interferon-alpha (INF-alpha) is the only immunomodulant agent to have shown a therapeutic effect. Among the new drugs, many antiangiogenetic agents have produced encouraging responses. Finally, the identification of the HHV-8 as a causative agent and new metalloproteinase inhibitors may offer promising targets for the KS treatment.
Aversa
Savina Maria Lucia
SM
Oncology Division, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Via Gattamelata 64, 35218 Padova, Italy. savina.aversa@sanita.padova.it
Cattelan
Anna Maria
AM
Salvagno
Luigi
L
Crivellari
Gino
G
Banna
Giuseppe
G
Trevenzoli
Marco
M
Chiarion-Sileni
Vanna
V
Monfardini
Silvio
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000465:Algorithms; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000998:Antiviral Agents