Clinical Outcomes of Kaposi’s Sarcoma Treated with Systemic Chemotherapy

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to examine the clinical and epidemiological features of the patients diagnosed with Kaposi’s sarcoma, who were treated with systemic chemotherapy. Methods: Patients with age of 18 years or older and histopathologically confirmed Kaposi sarcoma, were included in the study. Demographic data, tumor histology and characteristics, Kaposi’s sarcoma subtype and treatment modalities were retrospectively evaluated. Results: A total of 20 patients were included in the study. Fourteen patients (70%) were found to be related with HHV8. Five patients (25%) were HIV-positive. The lesions were located in the lower extremities in 19 patients (95%), upper extremities in 11 patients (55%), head and neck in 11 patients (55%) and trunk in 6 patients (30%). All 20 patients unresponsive to the local treatments including two patients with visceral metastases received chemotherapy. Complete remission was achieved in seven patients (35%), partial response was achieved in seven patients (35%) and stable response was achieved in four patients (20%) with the systemic chemotherapy. Conclusion: The success rate is high with the practice of local treatments. The aggressive state of the disease which is ineligible for local treatment can be controlled by systemic chemotherapy.