Treatment strategies for AIDS-related malignancies.

We have made progress in the therapy of AIDS-related malignancies, although it is obvious that our treatment strategies, at present, are not--by any measure--satisfactory. Effective treatment should take into account the pathogenesis and etiology of the malignancy; immune and performance status of the patient; the rate of progress of the tumor; the presence or risk of developing life-threatening opportunistic infections; associated hematologic, neurologic, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal abnormalities; the toxicities of treatment; and, most importantly, the patient's desire for treatment. Aggressive supportive measures must be used. With optimal management, it should be increasingly possible to improve the outcome of patients with AIDS-related malignancies.