Antiviral Therapy in Treating Patients With Slowly Progressing HIV-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma

Overview

RATIONALE: HIV virus is found in the lesions of most patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, and may have a role in causing Kaposi's sarcoma. Antiviral therapy acts against the HIV virus and may be an effective treatment for Kaposi's sarcoma. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well antiviral therapy works in treating patients with slowly progressing HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in treating patients with HIV-related stage I-III nonaggressive epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma. OUTLINE: Patients receive therapy consisting of nucleoside analogues (RTI) and protease inhibitors (PI). Patients may receive either 2 RTIs or 2 RTIs plus 2 PIs. Treatment continues for 12 weeks, then progression is assessed. Patients with stable or regressing Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) with a viral load of greater than 500 copies of RNA/mL may continue with the therapy (if the viral load has decreased by greater than 2 logs) or may modify therapy (if the viral load has decreased less than 2 logs). Patients with progressive disease may begin chemotherapy but continue to receive the antiretroviral therapy. Treatment continues for at least 48 weeks. Patients are followed every 8 weeks until week 48. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: This study will accrue a total of 14-25 patients.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes