Clinical variants and staging of Kaposi's sarcoma. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Clinical variants and staging of Kaposi's sarcoma.

Semin Oncol. 1987 Jun;14(2 Suppl 3):13-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/87263454
Mitsuyasu RT


Abstract: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a new and aggressive presentation of a previously rare malignancy. Variation in the clinical course of this disease and its response to treatment suggest that clinical or immunologic parameters may be important in its prognosis. A review of the clinical staging systems for epidemic (AIDS-related) KS (EKS) suggests an improved survival with lower tumor stages, the lack of prior opportunistic infections, and the absence of systemic symptoms. In addition, retrospective analysis of 16 immune parameters for their prognostic value showed that total CD4 (T4) cell numbers and the CD4:CD8 ratio correlated most closely with survival. Response to treatment with recombinant alpha-interferon did not correlate with tumor stage, but was more frequent in patients without systemic symptoms or prior opportunistic infections. Several studies suggest that treatment response is associated with a greater degree of intact T cell function. These findings point out the importance of cellular immunity in the prognosis of patients with EKS.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS Adult Human Interferon Type I/THERAPEUTIC USE Male Middle Age Neoplasm Staging Sarcoma, Kaposi's/*CLASSIFICATION/ETIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY/THERAPY Skin Neoplasms/PATHOLOGY Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDcomplicationsadulthumaninterferontypei/therapeuticusemalemiddleageneoplasmstagingsarcoma,kaposi's/KWDclassification/etiology/pathology/therapyskinneoplasms/pathologysupport,uKWDsKWDgov't,pKWDhKWDsKWDjournalarticle
871030
M87A0331


Copyright © 1987 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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