9-cis-Retinoic Acid Capsules in the Treatment of AIDS-Related Kaposi Sarcoma

The study on 9-cis-retinoic acid capsules for AIDS-related Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) in 57 adult male patients found that the treatment had moderate anti-tumor activity but significant toxic effects at higher doses. Patients tolerated doses of 60 and 100 mg/m² per day, but 140 mg/m² per day was intolerable due to headaches. Common adverse events included headache, xerosis, rash, alopecia, and hyperlipemia. The overall KS response rate was 19%, with a 39% response rate in the 6 index lesions. The median time to response was 8.5 weeks, and the median duration of treatment was 15.1 weeks. Despite the adverse effects, 82% of patients reported a stable or improved sense of well-being. The study concluded that while 9-cis-retinoic acid showed potential in KS treatment, its substantial toxicities limited its suitability.