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Interferon alfa
Source: Kaposi Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 7, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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The interferon alfas have also been widely studied and show a 40% objective response rate in patients with AIDS-associated KS.[18,19] In these reports, the responses differed significantly according to the following prognostic factors:
Extent of disease.
Prior or coexistent opportunistic infections.
Prior treatment with chemotherapy.
CD4 lymphocyte counts lower than 200 cells/µL.
Presence of circulating acid-labile interferon alfa.
Increase in beta-2-microglobulin.
Several treatment studies have combined interferon alfa with other chemotherapeutic agents. Overall, these trials have shown no benefit with the interferon-chemotherapy combinations as compared with the single-agent activities.
Recombinant interferon alfa-2a and recombinant interferon alfa-2b were the first agents approved for the treatment of KS. Approval was based on single-agent studies performed in the 1980s before the advent of antiretroviral therapy. The early studies demonstrated improved efficacy at relatively high doses.
High-dose monotherapy is rarely used today, and instead, interferon is given in combination with other anti-HIV drugs in doses of 4 to 18 million units. Neutropenia is dose limiting, and trials of doses of 1 to 10 million units combined with less myelosuppressive antiretroviral agents are in progress. Response to interferon is slow, and the maximum effect is seen after 6 or more months. Interferon should probably not be used to treat patients with rapidly progressive, symptomatic KS.
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