M. Harrison et al., RESPONSE AND COSMETIC OUTCOME OF 2 FRACTIONATION REGIMENS FOR AIDS-RELATED KAPOSIS-SARCOMA, Radiotherapy and oncology, 46(1), 1998, pp. 23-28
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology,"Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Purpose: A prospective study of the response and cosmetic effect of tw
o short duration radiotherapy regimens in the treatment of epidemic cu
taneous Kaposi's sarcoma. Materials and methods: Between June 1990 and
May 1994, 57 patients were recruited into a prospective study of radi
otherapy for cutaneous epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma. Patients were offere
d treatment of either 16 Cy in four fractions over 4 days or 8 Gy as a
single fraction. In total 596 lesions were treated in a prospective f
ashion. Response was assessed in 590 and pigmentation in 573 lesions.
A reproducible scale for assessing response and normal cutaneous damag
e was developed and used to grade the results of treatment. Results: T
here was an overall response rate of 78.8% (465/590) for complete resp
onses and pigmented complete responses. Patients receiving 8 Gy as a s
ingle fraction had an overall response rate of 77.6% (305/393) and tho
se treated with 16 Gy in four fractions had a response rate of 80.8% (
160/198). There was no statistical difference in terms of response bet
ween the two groups. There appeared to be a significant variation in r
esponse and normal skin pigmentation according to the site irradiated
with facial lesions responding best. Conclusions: Radiotherapy is a qu
ick and effective treatment for cutaneous epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma. A
single fraction of 8 Gy is an appropriate treatment for acceptable re
sponse and normal skin pigmentation within a group of patients in whom
the median life expectancy is limited. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Irel
and Ltd.