A great deal of research is being done to find more effective treatments for KS. Angiogenesis inhibitors are drugs that block the development of blood vessels within tumors. Since blood vessels are the main component of KS lesions, this approach to treatment seems promising. One problem, however, is they are associated with side effects such as high blood pressure and bleeding.

The immunotherapy drug interleukin-12 (IL-12) showed good results in a small study of 24 patients. This drug is being looked at further.

New combinations of current chemotherapy drugs and combinations of chemotherapy with antiretroviral drugs are all being tested in clinical trials. Of course, research into HIV vaccines and antiretroviral drugs also may have a great impact on AIDS-related KS. Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) also offers a new target for KS drugs and biologic therapy. Clinical trials are testing whether antiviral drugs that target HHV-8 may be used for KS.

Perhaps the most important advance in the treatment of AIDS-related KS is the development of effective treatment for AIDS. This has reduced the chance of getting KS and in many cases reduced the KS lesions themselves.

Testing for Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), the virus that causes KS, could help manage patients at risk for KS, including those infected with HIV or those who will be having an organ transplant and will be on immunosuppressive drugs. Several drugs used to treat cytomegalovirus seem to reduce the development of KS in patients at risk even though these drugs are generally not effective at treating KS once it has developed. These drugs stop the KSHV-infected cells from producing more of the virus.

Last Medical Review: 09/17/2009
Last Revised: 09/17/2009