Kaposi's sarcoma in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Kaposi's sarcoma is the most common malignancy seen in association with AIDS. Although the pathogenesis of AIDS-KS has not been clearly established, the clinical course and prognosis are closely related to the patient's immune status, prior history of opportunistic infection, and hematologic status. Treatment methods include local or regional radiation therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and interferon therapy. Evaluation of the results of clinical therapeutic studies in this tumor should consider its natural history and peculiar biologic behavior and associated complications of AIDS. Effective treatment strategy would take into account the immune status of the patient, the rate of progression of tumor, the presence or risk of developing life-threatening opportunistic infections, associated hematologic or neurologic abnormalities, the toxicities of treatment, and the desire of the patient for treatment. Investigations of antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulating agents singly or in combination currently are in progress. Additionally innovative approaches with biologic response modifies, adjunctive hematopoietins, and growth factor modulators may lead to newer approaches to the control of this malignancy.