These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.
Pubmed for Handhelds
PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS
Search MEDLINE/PubMed
Title: Kaposi's sarcoma and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: treatment with high and low doses of recombinant leukocyte A interferon. Author: Real FX, Oettgen HF, Krown SE. Journal: J Clin Oncol; 1986 Apr; 4(4):544-51. PubMed ID: 3958767. Abstract: The efficacy of recombinant leukocyte A interferon (rIFN-alpha A [Roferon-A, Hoffman-La Roche, Nutley, NJ]) treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was evaluated in sequential trials using high doses (36 X 10(6) units) and low doses (3 X 10(6) units) of interferon. A major response was seen in 38% of patients treated at the high dose, with a median response duration of 18 months. At the low dose, the major response rate was 3%; dose escalation to 36 X 10(6) units resulted in an additional major response rate of 17% in low-dose nonresponders, with a median response duration of 10 months. Four of 11 patients who achieved a complete response remain free of disease, whereas all partial responders have shown disease progression. Unacceptable toxicity occurred in 27% of patients initially treated at the high dose and only in 10% of those who had progressive dose escalation up to 36 X 10(6) units. Prior opportunistic infections correlated negatively with therapeutic response, whereas large tumor burden and gastrointestinal involvement did not. Responding patients showed a significantly longer survival and a lower incidence of subsequent opportunistic infections than nonresponders. However, from our study we cannot determine whether rIFN-alpha A has an effect on the natural history of Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]