Related Pages Search for Clinical Trials 1 NCI's PDQ® Cancer Clinical Trials Registry. AIDS-Related Cancers Home Page 2 NCI's gateway for information about AIDS-related cancers.

Name of the Trial

Phase II Study of Bevacizumab in Patients With Classic or Epidemic Kaposi Sarcoma (NCI-03-C-0110G). See the protocol summary. ³

Principal Investigator

Dr. Robert Yarchoan, NCI Center for Cancer Research.

Dr. Robert Yarchoan Principal Investigator

Why Is This Trial Important?

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a tumor that generally develops in multiple sites on the skin. It can also arise in the mouth or internal organs, including the intestinal tract and lungs. Classic KS usually occurs in older men of Jewish, Italian, or Mediterranean heritage.

Until recently, KS was a rare cancer. Beginning in the early 1980s, however, there was a marked increase in KS as part of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. We now know that KS is caused by a herpesvirus called Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) or human herpes virus-8.

Bevacizumab (Avastin®), a type of biological agent called a monoclonal antibody, blocks the formation and growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) by targeting a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Angiogenesis is necessary for all tumors to grow, but KS may be particularly vulnerable to agents that inhibit angiogenesis because blood vessel cells are the main component of KS lesions.

“Some cytotoxic drugs can control Kaposi sarcoma,” said Dr. Yarchoan, “but these are not curative, in part because they can’t eradicate the virus that causes it. We thus need to develop effective therapies that can be tolerated for long periods of time. Bevacizumab is reasonably well-tolerated and targets the central feature of KS, the formation of new blood vessels.”

Who Can Join This Trial?

Researchers seek to enroll 8-27 patients aged 18 or over who have been diagnosed with KS. See the full list of eligibility criteria ⁴ for this trial.

Where Is This Trial Taking Place?

This study is taking place at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Contact Information

For more information, call the NCI Clinical Studies Support Center (CSSC) at 1-888-NCI-1937. The CSSC provides information about cancer trials taking place on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Md. The call is toll free and confidential.

Glossary Terms

A disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). People with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are at an increased risk for developing certain cancers and for infections that usually occur only in individuals with a weak immune system. Also called AIDS.

A drug used to treat several types of cancer, including certain types of colorectal, lung, breast, and kidney cancers and glioblastoma. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Bevacizumab binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and may prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. It is a type of antiangiogenesis agent and a type of monoclonal antibody. Also called Avastin.

Cell-killing.

A member of the herpes family of viruses.

A type of protein made in the laboratory that can locate and bind to substances in the body, including tumor cells. There are many kinds of monoclonal antibodies. Each monoclonal antibody is made to find one substance. Monoclonal antibodies are being used to treat some types of cancer and are being studied in the treatment of other types. They can be used alone or to carry drugs, toxins, or radioactive materials directly to a tumor.