TIN ETHYL ETIOPURPURIN-INDUCED PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENTOF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-ASSOCIATED KAPOSIS-SARCOMA

Current local treatments for cutaneous human immunodeficiency virus-as sociated Kaposi's sarcoma lesions can be less than ideal. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) consisting of a photoreactive drug and a laser light so urce has been used to treat a variety of neoplasms. This paper present s the case report of a 36-year-old man with multiple Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. Using the photosensitizer tin ethyl etiopurpurin and red ligh t activation 24 hours postinfusion, we achieved excellent subjective a nd objective response on follow-up examinations to 20 weeks posttreatm ent. Photodynamic therapy is an outpatient procedure that is well tole rated and highly effective for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma lesio ns. It offers the distinct benefit of effective destruction of multipl e lesions in a single session without severe morbidity. PDT should be considered as the first-line treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma, but it als o should undergo large clinical trials to fully assess its capabilitie s.