Abstract 1543P
Background
Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS) is a rare multifocal neoplasm of lymphatic endothelium-derived cells, associated with infection by human herpes virus-8 (also called KS herpes virus). Four clinical subtypes are recognized: classic, endemic, epidemic (HIV-related), and iatrogenic. Classic KS typically occurs in elderly people of specific areas, such as the Mediterranean; it usually featured by skin lesions, often at lower limbs, without visceral involvement, and has a chronic course that requires systemic chemotherapy for locally aggressive extensive disease. Very few evidence, in small populations, exists on classic KS. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) and paclitaxel are, actually, the recommended systemic regimen.
Methods
This is a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine in classic KS patients. The patients with HIV-related KS were excluded from the outcome analysis. From January 2016 to January 2021, the classic KS patients were treated with gemcitabine 1.000 mg/m2 on days 1 & 8, with cycles repeated every 21 days. The treatment was administered as I or II line.
Results
Twenty-six (26) patients were included in the study. The median age was 75 years (range, 54-88); 22 patients were men (84.6%) and 4 were women (15.4%). Ten (10) patients (38.4%) were treated with gemcitabine as I line, and 16 patients (61.6%) as II line. The overall response rate was 88.5% (90% in I line patients, and 87.5% in II line patients). Four (4) patients (15.4%) had a complete response (CR) of skin lesions as best response, 1 patient (3.8%) had stable disease (SD) and 18 patients (69.2%) had a partial response (RP). The median duration of response was 19.5 months. The safety profile was good with 19% of grade I or II neutropenia.
Conclusions
Classic Kaposi’s Sarcoma is a chronic neoplasm, where disease control and toxicity profile of drugs are the major objectives of KS treatment. Gemcitabine provided good tolerability and a high response rate to treat these patients.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.