Weekly doxorubicin in the treatment of patients with AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma Journal Article

  


Authors: Fischl, M. A.; Krown, S. E.; O'Boyle, K. P.; Mitsuyasu, R.; Miles, S.; Wernz, J. C.; Volberding, P. A.; Kahn, J.; Groopman, J. E.; Feinberg, J.; Woody, M.; the AIDS Clinical Trials Group
Article Title: Weekly doxorubicin in the treatment of patients with AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma
Abstract: Fifty-three patients with AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma and no previous treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy enrolled in a phase II multicenter study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly doxorubicin treatment. Doxorubicin was given intravenously at a dose of 15 mg/m2. Patients were stratified for purposes of analyses by tumor burden and coexistence of HIV-associated signs and symptoms; stratum I included patients with cutaneous disease alone and no symptoms, and stratum II included patients with visceral disease, tumor-associated edema, a previous opportunistic infection, or systemic symptoms. Fifty-one patients were evaluable for toxicity and 50 for tumor response. Five patients had a partial response (10%); 32, a minor response (64%); 12, no change (24%); and one, progression (2%) as the best measurable response. Partial response durations ranged from 4 to 14 weeks. Fifteen patients subsequently showed progression while on treatment. A significantly greater number of patients in stratum I (20. 1%) had a partial response compared with those in stratum II (0%, p = 0.009). The major toxicities included nausea (37%), stomatitis (9.8%), mucositis (13.7%), and moderate to severe neutropenia (71%). Neutropenia was dose limiting and resulted in discontinuation of doxorubicin in 18% of the patients. Two patients developed cardiac toxicity. In conclusion, doxorubicin treatment induced relatively few tumor responses and remission durations were short. Treatment was limited by a high rate of toxicity.
Keywords: doxorubicin; vincristine; therapy; acquired-immunodeficiency-syndrome; cytotoxic chemotherapy; leukocyte-a interferon; immune-deficiency syndrome; kaposis sarcoma; lymphoblastoid interferon
Journal Title: JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
Volume: 6
Issue: 3
ISSN: 1525-4135
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 1993-03-01
Start Page: 259
End Page: 264
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:A1993KN54200008
PROVIDER: wos
Notes: Article -- Source: Wos