Related Experiment Videos
Oral etoposide for Kaposi's Mediterranean sarcoma
L Brambilla1, V Boneschi, S Fossati
1Second Department of Dermatology, University of Milan, Italy.
Dermatologica
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Oral etoposide (VP16) showed significant efficacy in treating Kaposi's Mediterranean sarcoma. This chemotherapy regimen achieved high objective response rates with manageable side effects in both previously untreated and pretreated patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Kaposi's Mediterranean sarcoma (KMS) is an aggressive malignancy.
- Effective single-drug therapeutic regimens for KMS are crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oral etoposide (VP16) as a single-drug regimen for KMS.
- To assess response rates in both pretreated and non-pretreated KMS patients.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-two patients with locally aggressive or generalized KMS were treated with oral etoposide (VP16).
- VP16 was administered at 100 mg daily for 3-5 days every 3 weeks (induction), followed by maintenance dosing.
- Seventeen patients were evaluable, with 10 having prior chemotherapy exposure.
Main Results:
- Objective response rates were high: 85.6% in non-pretreated patients and 70% in pretreated patients.
- Hematological toxicities occurred in 35.2% and gastrointestinal toxicities in 64.7% of patients.
- Adverse events were consistently mild and rapidly reversible.
Conclusions:
- Oral etoposide (VP16) is an effective and well-tolerated single-agent chemotherapy for Kaposi's Mediterranean sarcoma.
- VP16 demonstrates significant activity in both treatment-naïve and previously treated KMS patients.