Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objectives
Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is one of the most common childhood cancers in eastern and central Africa. It has become a treatable disease with increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and chemotherapy. We aimed to fill the data gap in establishing whether long-term survival is achievable for children in low-income countries.Methods
We retrospectively analysed data for children and adolescents aged ≤ 18.9 years diagnosed with HIV-related or endemic KS from 2006 to 2015 who received standardized institutional treatment regimens utilizing chemotherapy plus ART (if HIV-positive) at a tertiary care public hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Long-term survival was analysed and mortality was associated with KS for those with refractory/progressive disease at the time of death.Results
There were 207 children/adolescents with KS (90.8% HIV-related); 36.7% were alive, 54.6% had died, and 8.7% had been lost to follow-up. The median follow-up time for survivors was 6.9 years (range 4.2-13.9 years). Death occurred at a median of 5.3 months after KS diagnosis (range 0.1-123 months). KS progression was associated with mortality for most (61%) early deaths (survival time of < 6 months); conversely, KS was associated with a minority (31%) of late-onset deaths (after 24 months). The 7-year overall survival was 37% [95% confidence interval (CI) 30-44%] and was higher for those diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 compared to 2006-2010: 42% (95% CI 33-51%) versus 29% (95% CI 20-39%), respectively (P = 0.01). Among the 66 HIV-positive survivors, 58% were still on first-line ART.Conclusions
Long-term survival is possible for pediatric KS in low-resource settings. Despite better survival in more recent years, there remains room for improvement.
SUBMITTER: Silverstein A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9121366 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Silverstein Allison A Kamiyango William W Villiera Jimmy J Peckham-Gregory Erin C EC McAtee Casey L CL Scheurer Michael E ME Cox Carrie M CM Kovarik Carrie L CL Campbell Liane R LR Allen Carl E CE Mehta Parth S PS Kazembe Peter N PN Ozuah Nmazuo W NW El-Mallawany Nader Kim NK
HIV medicine 20211011 2
<h4>Objectives</h4>Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is one of the most common childhood cancers in eastern and central Africa. It has become a treatable disease with increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and chemotherapy. We aimed to fill the data gap in establishing whether long-term survival is achievable for children in low-income countries.<h4>Methods</h4>We retrospectively analysed data for children and adolescents aged ≤ 18.9 years diagnosed with HIV-related or endemic KS from 2006 to ...[more]