Treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma in pediatric AIDS

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has rarely been described in children with the acquired immunodeficiency disease (AIDS) although it is the commonest AIDS associated malignancy in adults. Little is known about the cause, course and optimal treatment of such children. A four month old infant who presented with generalized, firm lymphadenopathy and hepatic and splenic enlargement, tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and was found to have the lymphadenopathic form of KS on lymph node biopsy. Treatment with high dose interferon- alpha-2a and azidothymidine (AZT), resulted in significant clinical and radiological regression of the lymphadenopathy. It is suggested that interferon-alpha-2a may be an effective drug for pediatric HIV associated KS. In the absence of cutaneous manifestations of KS, lymphadenopathy may be ascribed to HIV infection alone, and therefore KS may be under diagnosed in pediatric patients with AIDS.