Kaposi's sarcoma in Colombia

Abstract

Seventy-nine cases of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), which correspond to one of every 1,000 malignant tumors, were reviewed at the National Institute of Cancer (NIC), Bogotá, Colombia, from 1935 to 1985. Seventy-four percent of the patients were older than 65 years of age. The male to female ratio was 8:1. In all cases, plaques and nodules first appeared in the lower limbs; they were symmetrical in 47% of the cases and ulcerated in 25%. No generalized or epidemic forms were seen. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma concurrent with KS was observed in one case. KS developed several years after treatment for follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in two patients. An angiosarcomatous variant and one fibrosarcomatous change were seen. Ten cases studied for factor VIII expression through the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique were all reactive. We conclude that in Colombia before 1985, KS behaved as a chronic multicentric Stage I disease without a tendency to associate simultaneously with malignant conditions.