Kaposi's sarcoma - New treatment modalities

Over the last 20 years of experience with the AIDS epidemic, we have accumu lated a great body of knowledge on Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) a major cause of m orbidity and mortality in AIDS patients, especially among homosexual and bi sexual men. New antiretroviral therapies, in particular the protease inhibi tors, appear to be changing the clinical course of KS. Now, it is not unusu al to observe a complete resolution and control of KS with the use of these new agents. As we have begun to unravel the pathogenesis of KS, new treatm ent modalities have merged targeting some of its pathogenic pathways. Altho ugh, chemotherapy remains the corner-stone of its treatment, in particular with the new liposomal preparations, new agents may soon change our approac h to KS. Experimental therapies being evaluated in ongoing clinical trials include angiogenesis inhibitors, hormonal therapies, retinoic acid derivati ves, and immune modulators such as interleukin 12. Better treatment for HIV , and new experimental therapies targeting the pathogenic mechanisms of KS allow us to envision the future treatment of KS with a certain degree of op timism.