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Silver nitrate for Kaposi's sarcoma nodules: A new look at an old treatment
Lucia Brambilla1, Athanasia Tourlaki1
1a U.O. Dermatologia, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milano , Italy.
Introduction:
Fungating classic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tumors represent a therapeutic challenge given the increased risk of resistance to traditional local chemotherapy and the frequent concomitant skin infections.
Objective:
To study the effect and tolerability of silver nitrate cauterization in patients with fungating KS tumors.
Methods:
A single arm, prospective study in patients with soft, fungating and/or oozing KS tumors cauterized with silver nitrate sticks. The application was repeated once every three weeks until the lesion became fibrous or after two consecutive applications without any clinical improvement.
Results:
Eleven patients (10 males, one female, mean age of 75.8 years) with at least one fungating KS tumor of the lower limbs were treated. Complete or partial resolution of the KS lesion was achieved in 91% of patients after an average of 2.1 treatments (range, 1-4 treatments).
Conclusions:
Fungating KS tumors can be treated simply, effectively and safely in the office with silver nitrate cauterization.
Insights
Silver nitrate cauterization offers a simple, effective, and safe treatment for fungating Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tumors. This approach achieved significant lesion resolution in most patients, addressing a challenging therapeutic need.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Cutaneous Malignancies
Background:
- Fungating classic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) presents therapeutic challenges due to potential resistance to chemotherapy and infection risks.
- Effective local treatments for fungating KS are needed to manage these complex lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of silver nitrate cauterization for fungating Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tumors.
- To assess silver nitrate as a treatment option for challenging KS lesions.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, single-arm study involving patients with fungating or oozing KS tumors.
- Treatment consisted of silver nitrate stick cauterization, repeated every three weeks until lesion fibrosis or lack of improvement.
Main Results:
- Eleven patients with fungating KS tumors of the lower limbs were treated.
- Complete or partial resolution of KS lesions was observed in 91% of patients.
- An average of 2.1 treatment sessions were required for lesion resolution.
Conclusions:
- Silver nitrate cauterization provides a simple, effective, and safe in-office treatment for fungating KS tumors.
- This method demonstrates significant potential for managing challenging KS lesions.
