A retrospective analysis of immunosuppressive-related Kaposi sarcoma in mainland China (1995—2020)

Abstract

Objective: To study the clinical features and treatment of immunosuppressive-related Kaposi sarcoma in mainland China. Methods: Literature articles on immunosuppressive-related Kaposi sarcoma in the Chinese mainland from 1995 to 2020 were searched through CNKI, Wangfang, Weipu and Pubmed databases and systematically analyzed. Results: A total of 42 patients from 40 cases report were included in the review. The mean age was 47.4 years and the male-to-female ratio was 3.67 ∶1. Compared with other patients, a higher incidence of immunosuppressive-related Kaposi sarcoma was reported in patients with renal transplant and patients treated with one or more immunosuppressants/ glucocorticoids. Most cases developed the immunosuppressive-related kaposi sarcoma within 2~3 months or 1~2 years after treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. The lesions were frequently reported in cutaneous, especially in the lower limbs, and less frequently in lymph nodes and visceral organs. The most common treatments for immunosuppressive-related Kaposi sarcoma included discontinuing of immunosuppressive drugs, reducing the amount of immunosuppressive drugs, replacing immunosuppressive drugs/glucocorticoids with other drugs or combined all these therapy. Conclusion: Our results indicate that long-term use of immunosuppressive agents or glucocorticoids can increase the occurrence of the immunosuppressive-related Kaposi sarcoma, and discontinuing or reducing these immunosuppressive drugs with other drugs can improve the prognosis of these patients.

Keywords

• immunosuppressive agent
• kaposi sarcoma
• renal transplant
• treatment