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Treatment of herpesvirus associated primary effusion lymphoma with intracavity cidofovir

Leukemia volume 19, pages 473–476 (2005)Cite this article

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, involving the serous cavities, which is invariably associated with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)/human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) and often with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infections.1 The disease accounts for less than 3% of AIDS-associated lymphomas, as recognized by the WHO, but a few cases have also been reported in transplant patients as well as in elderly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative men originating from areas endemic for HHV-8 infection, and at high risk for classic Kaposi sarcoma (KS).1 PEL has a poor prognosis, with a median survival of few months, in the majority of affected patients.1 In AIDS patients, combined chemotherapy, including high-dose methotrexate, may be attempted with the possibility to achieve complete remission, at least in some cases. On the contrary, in elderly and transplant patients, the use of chemotherapeutic regimens has been generally hampered by severe toxicity, and has revealed unsuccessful in the vast majority of the treated patients, raising the need for alternative treatment approaches.1

Cidofovir is an antiviral with a broad spectrum of activity against DNA viruses, and has been reported to be one of the most effective agents to inhibit HHV-8 replication in vitro.2 In addition to its antiviral activity, a potent antitumor activity has been recently attributed to cidofovir.3,4,5 Topical application of cidofovir resulted effective to treat both neoplastic genital lesions and recurrent laryngeal papillomatous lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).3,4 In animal models, cidofovir has been found to be effective on virus-associated tumors, such as in nude mice with EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma, in which intratumoral injection of cidofovir induced in vivo regression of the tumors.5 The antitumor activity of cidofovir is not specifically related to the antiviral action of the compound. Consistent with this, cidofovir has also been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors, such as hemangiosarcomas, which are not associated with oncogenic viruses.6

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (A.I.R.C.), Milan, Italy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology and Hematology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    M Luppi, R Trovato, P Barozzi, L Ravazzini, L Potenza, G Riva, M Morselli, G Longo & G Torelli

  2. Medical Oncology and Hematology, Civic Hospital, Piacenza

    D Vallisa & L Cavanna

  3. Division of Hematology, Spedali Civili, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    G Rossi & A Re

  4. Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Azienda Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy

    R Roncaglia

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  1. M Luppi
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Correspondence to M Luppi.

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Luppi, M., Trovato, R., Barozzi, P. et al. Treatment of herpesvirus associated primary effusion lymphoma with intracavity cidofovir. Leukemia 19, 473–476 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403646

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403646

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