Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Effects of standard chemotherapy regimens on HIV plasma RNA levels in patients with HIV-associated malignancies (Meeting abstract).
Proc Annu Meet Am Soc Clin Oncol; 16:A193 1997. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/97621065 Lyter DW; Beckman EJ; AIDS Malignancy Program, Illinois Masonic Cancer Center, Chicago, IL
Abstract:
Numerous studies have suggested that plasma levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA are strongly associated with HIV disease progression. Currently, the impact of new anti-retroviral regimens on HIV RNA levels and HIV prognosis are being studied intensively. However, very little is known about the effects of other commonly used medications, especially immunosuppressive chemotherapeutic agents, on HIV viral replication. We have followed 19 patients being treated with standard chemotherapy for HIV-associated malignancies with serial HIV plasma RNA levels. The cohort includes 12 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) who have received either Doxil or DaunoXome every 2-3 weeks; 4 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who have been given monthly Cytoxan, Novantrone, Oncovin and Prednisone (CNOP); 2 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) who have received standard Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine and DTIC (ABVD) and a patient with advanced-stage small cell lung carcinoma who received etoposide, cisplatin. Plasma HIV RNA levels, performed using the Roche assay, were drawn prior to beginning chemotherapy and every 2-4 weeks while on treatment. 15 of the patients were taking either 2 standard reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors or 2 RT inhibitors in combination with a protease inhibitor prior to beginning and during chemotherapy. One patient with KS stopped all anti-retrovirals during treatment. Two patients with KS and 1 with HD declined all anti-retroviral therapy. The mean baseline RNA level was 154,773 copies/ml (range 89-563,678) for KS; 16,110 range 0-63,015) for NHL; 73,599 and 296,506 for HD and 208 for the lung cancer. Patients have been followed for 3 to 10 months. No increase in HIV viral load has been noted in any of the 15 patients on continuous anti-retroviral therapy, despite use of chemotherapy. A significant rise in plasma HIV RNA did occur in the 4 patients who either declined or stopped anti-retroviral medications. It is unclear if this increase was due to the natural course of HIV infection alone or was enhanced by use of chemotherapeutic drugs. These preliminary findings suggest that standard chemotherapeutic agents do not have a significant impact on the activity of HIV infection, as assessed by HIV plasma RNA levels, when used in combination with anti-retroviral therapies. C) American Society of Clinical Oncology 1997
Keywords: *Antineoplastic Agents/THERAPEUTIC USE *HIV Infections/BLOOD *HIV-1/ISOLATION & PURIF *Neoplasms/DRUG THERAPY *RNA, Viral/BLOOD 971130
M97B1215
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
