Endemic Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Abstract

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a common neoplasm in Eastern and central Africa reflecting the spread of human gammaherpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), now considered a necessary causal agent for the development of KS. The endemic KS subtype can follow an aggressive clinical course with ulcerative skin lesions with soft tissue invasion or even bone or visceral involvement. In the latter cases, a thorough imaging work-up and better follow-up schedules are warranted. As KS is a chronic disease, the therapeutic goal is to obtain sustainable remission in cutaneous and visceral lesions and a good quality of life. Watchful monitoring may be sufficient in localized cutaneous forms. Potential therapeutic modalities for symptomatic advanced KS include systemic chemotherapies, immunomodulators, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and antiangiogenic drugs.

Sarcoma de Kaposi: Uma Análise Abrangente dos Aspectos Dermatológicos e Oncologicos

“…Por outro lado, pesquisas mostraram uma prevalência significativamente menor em países do norte da África. Essa disparidade originou hipóteses que apontam a exposição prolongada de ferro e aluminossilicato, nas regiões sul-africanas, como responsáveis pela queda da imunidade desses pacientes e ,consequentemente, predispondo essas pessoas a infecções pelo gama herpesvírus humano -8 (HHV-8) (Zeinaty et al, 2023).…”

“…Nas lesões nodulares, há um infiltrado denso de células fusiformes que substituem o colágeno dérmico, formando espaços preenchidos com glóbulos vermelhos. Já o estágio de placa é caracterizado pela proliferação difusa de células fusiformes na derme, separando feixes de colágeno e formando espaços vasculares irregulares, frequentemente com extravasamento de glóbulos vermelhos e depósitos de hemossiderina (Zeinaty et al, 2023).…”

Non-Cutaneous Visceral Kaposi's Sarcoma Diagnosis Confounded by Mycobacterium Avium Complex Lymphadenitis

“…Visceral KS can affect any organ, mainly lymph nodes, lungs, and the GI tract [ 1 ]. The most common site of involvement in visceral KS is the GI tract, most commonly the small intestine, large intestine, and stomach [ 3 ]. Visceral KS without skin manifestations is rare [ 13 ].…”

“…The Mediterranean region has rates ranging from 10% to 30%. In contrast, the general population in Europe, Asia, and the United States has a prevalence of less than 5% [ 3 ]. Cutaneous KS is the most common manifestation of this neoplasm and typically affects the skin and oropharynx.…”

An Atypical Heel Pain

“…Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is an angioproliferative neoplasm induced by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) targeting the cutaneous and lymphatic systems, with possible involvement of other organs such as lower limb bones. 1 A 72-year-old male patient of Senegalese origin with a 10-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking methotrexate (MTX) consulted regarding a 1-year history of chronic mechanical pain of the left heel. Examination revealed calcaneus pain with a swollen ankle, without fever, weight loss, or skin lesion.…”