Kaposi′s sarcoma following immunosuppressive therapy for vasculitis

Abstract

Kaposi′s sarcoma (KS) is widely reported to develop after renal transplantation and is induced by activation of a latent human herpes virus 8. We report the clinical features and outcome of a 50-year-old woman who presented with KS 18 weeks after starting immuno-suppressive therapy for vasculitis. She had positive-titer IgG antibody to human herpes virus 8. Cyclophosphamide pulses were interrupted, and prednisone was decreased gradually to 10 mg/day. Skin lesions showed important regression with stabilization of the general state and renal function. Eight months later, the patient presented with a diffuse cutaneous KS that required the discontinuation of steroids. Within 1 month, her general status and renal function deteriorated, and she died with a disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome.