Abstract

AIDS: Potent anti-HIV therapies are decreasing the number of new cases of Kaposi's sarcoma; however, 25,000 Americans are still living with the AIDS-defining disease. The pathogenesis of the disease is still not understood and no cure is in sight, although progress has been made in treating the disease. The progression of the disease and some cytokines and growth factors that trigger it are described. A Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) herpesvirus was identified in 1994 (KSHV or HHV-8); the prevalence of KSHV may be an indicator of a population's risk of developing KS. Columbia University is conducting a KSHV study in HIV-negative individuals; contact information is included for potential participants. Current drug therapies and the medical gains and drawbacks associated with each regimen are described.