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Whole-lung irradiation for Kaposi's sarcoma
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, San Francisco, California 94120.
American Journal of Clinical Oncology
|October 1, 1993
Summary
Whole-lung irradiation effectively improved symptoms like shortness of breath in patients with pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a manifestation of advanced AIDS. This radiotherapy offers a low-toxicity option for symptom management in many patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Radiotherapy
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a significant manifestation of advanced Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
- Symptomatic pulmonary KS often presents with debilitating dyspnea and hypoxia, requiring interventions to improve quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of whole-lung irradiation for symptomatic pulmonary KS.
- To assess the impact of radiotherapy on respiratory symptoms, oxygen requirements, and radiographic findings.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-five patients with symptomatic pulmonary KS received whole-lung irradiation.
- Treatment involved fractions of 150 cGy, four days per week, to a total dose of 1050-1500 cGy (mean 1224 cGy).
Main Results:
- No acute toxicity was observed during treatment.
- 89% of patients reported improved dyspnea, and 78% could eliminate oxygen use.
- Chest X-rays showed improvement in 78% of cases, with 56% remaining symptomatically improved at 12 weeks post-therapy.
Conclusions:
- Whole-lung irradiation provides prompt symptomatic relief with minimal toxicity for patients with pulmonary KS.
- Radiotherapy is a viable treatment option for improving quality of life in patients with advanced AIDS-related pulmonary KS.
- For patients with poor performance status or disease progression despite chemotherapy, a supportive care approach may be more appropriate.