THERAPY OF KAPOSI'S SARCOMA WITH INTERFERON NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1985. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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THERAPY OF KAPOSI'S SARCOMA WITH INTERFERON

AIDS. The Epidemic of Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections. Friedman-Kien AE, Laubenstein LJ, eds. New York, Masson, p. 63-7, 1984.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/85610691
Volberding P; Univ. of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110

Abstract: Ten patients (pts) with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were randomized to undergo treatment with alpha-2-interferon (a-2-IF). Five pts received low-dose therapy, using 1,000,000 units/m2/day sc for 5 days on alternate wk for 2 mo; and five received high-dose therapy, using 50,000,000 units/m2/day iv on the same schedule. Pts with very advanced disease, active infection, or severe systemic compromise were not included. Complete response was observed in one patient receiving low-dose therapy and in none receiving high-dose therapy; partial response in one and three pts, respectively; no change in one and no pts; and progression in two low-dose and two high-dose pts. Of two pts who elected to switch to high-dose therapy after completing 2 mo of low-dose therapy, one had no change and one had progression. No pts developed opportunistic infections during the therapy, which was continued for those pts who responded. Toxicities included leukocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, hepatic transaminase elevation, and flu-like symptoms; these were mild in the low-dose group and moderate in the high-dose group. The authors conclude that a-2-IF can be effective in these pts but that further investigation is warranted. (16 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS Adult Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Drug Evaluation Headache/ETIOLOGY Human Interferon Type I/ADVERSE EFFECTS/*THERAPEUTIC USE Leukocyte Count Male Middle Age Muscles Pain/ETIOLOGY Platelet Count Random Allocation Sarcoma, Kaposi's/COMPLICATIONS/*THERAPY MEETING PAPER

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDcomplicationsadultdose-responserelationship,drugdrugevaluationheadache/etiologyhumaninterferontypei/adverseeffects/KWDtherapeuticuseleukocytecountmalemiddleagemusclespain/etiologyplateletcountrandomallocationsarcoma,kaposi's/complications/KWDtherapymeetingpaper
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Copyright © 1985 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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