AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma: principal pathogenic mechanisms.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma: principal pathogenic mechanisms.

J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 1999 Sep;18(3):311-5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/20072191
Silvestris N; Divisione di Chirurgia Oncologica, Ospedale Vittorio Emanuele II,; Bisceglie, Italy.

Abstract: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common malignancy that affects patients with HIV infection. Considerable progress has recently been achieved in understanding the pathogenesis of this vascular malignancy. A novel herpesvirus has been detected in KS lesions of all types, in skin-lesions of post-transplant immunosuppressed individuals and in various lymphoproliferative disorders. Apart from this, the increased severity of this neoplasm in patients infected with HIV may be due to HIV-derived tat protein synergising with cytokines and chemokines with angiogenetic activity. Finally, the lower incidence of the malignancy in females may be related to a protective effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), presumably mediated by its effect on microvasculature. All these advances suggest new possibilities in the management of the disease.

Keywords: JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS Bisexuality Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Chemokines/PHYSIOLOGY Cytokines/PHYSIOLOGY Female Gene Products, tat/PHYSIOLOGY Gonadotropins, Chorionic/PHYSIOLOGY Herpesviridae Infections/EPIDEMIOLOGY/VIROLOGY Herpesvirus, Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated/ISOLATION & PURIF/ PATHOGENICITY Homosexuality Human Immunocompromised Host Incidence Male Mutation Neovascularization, Pathologic/ETIOLOGY Risk Factors Sarcoma, Kaposi/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*ETIOLOGY/VIROLOGY Skin Neoplasms/EPIDEMIOLOGY/ETIOLOGY/VIROLOGY Tumor Virus Infections/EPIDEMIOLOGY/VIROLOGY

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