Effect of antiviral drugs used to treat cytomegalovirus end-organ disease on subsequent course of previously diagnosed Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with AIDS

Foscarnet may be effective in preventing the progression of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). KS is a skin tumor that occurs often in HIV patients. Researchers analyzed the progression of KS in 66 patients who were taking foscarnet or ganciclovir to treat cytomegalovirus infection. All of the patients also had a history of KS. In the patients taking foscarnet, it took an average of 211 days for a new tumor to develop or for an existing one to get bigger. In the patients taking ganciclovir, it took an average of 22 days.