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Kaposi's sarcoma classification


Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Haytham Allaham, M.D. [2] Huda A. Karman, M.D.

Overview

Kaposi’s sarcoma may be classified according to the clinical setting of the disease into five subtypes include Classic Kaposi’s sarcoma, African cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma, African lymphadenopathic Kaposi’s sarcoma, Immunosuppression-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma, and AIDS-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Classification

Types Characteristics
Classic (Mediterranean) Kaposi’s sarcoma [4][5][6][7]
Endemic African Kaposi’s sarcoma [8] Common features
  • Usually seen in areas with high prevalence of HHV-8 such as sub-Saharan Africa, called, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)
  • Seropositivity in Sub-Saharan Africa is >50%
  • If caused by an undiagnosed HIV infection, it can be treated by antiretroviral medications
  • If caused by infection other than HIV, it can be treated by radiotherapy or chemotherapy
  • The limitations of achieving an optimal and affordable therapeutic approach in sub-Saharan Africa is:
    • Resource-limited settings and infrastructure issues such as lack of trained personnel to administer chemotherapy and lack of infusion centers, and the inability to monitor blood work, a high rate of co-morbid tuberculosis
  • Oral agents such as etoposide may have the benefit of easing the administration
African cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma
African lymphadenopathic Kaposi’s sarcoma
Iatrogenic (transplant-related) Kaposi’s sarcoma (immunosuppression-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma)[9][10]


    (Epidemic) AIDS-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma[11][12]


        References

        1. Uldrick TS, Whitby D (June 2011). “Update on KSHV epidemiology, Kaposi Sarcoma pathogenesis, and treatment of Kaposi Sarcoma”. Cancer Lett. 305 (2): 150–62. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2011.02.006. PMID 21377267.
        2. Krigel RL, Laubenstein LJ, Muggia FM (June 1983). “Kaposi’s sarcoma: a new staging classification”. Cancer Treat Rep. 67 (6): 531–4. PMID 6861160.
        3. Grayson W, Pantanowitz L (July 2008). “Histological variants of cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma”. Diagn Pathol. 3: 31. doi:10.1186/1746-1596-3-31. PMC 2526984. PMID 18655700.
        4. Vincenzi B, D’Onofrio L, Frezza AM, Grasso RF, Fausti V, Santini D; et al. (2015). “Classic Kaposi Sarcoma: to treat or not to treat?”. BMC Res Notes. 8: 138. doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1076-1. PMC 4395989. PMID 25889316.
        5. Stratigos, John; Potouridou, Irene; Katoulis, Alexander; Hatziolou, Eftichia; Christofidou, Eleftheria; Stratigos, Alexander; Hatzakis, Angelos; Stavrianeas, Nicholas (1997). “Classic Kaposi’s sarcoma in Greece: a clinico-epidemiological profile”. International Journal of Dermatology. 36 (10): 735–740. doi:10.1046/j.1365-4362.1997.00284.x. ISSN 0011-9059.
        6. Landau HJ, Poiesz BJ, Dube S, Bogart JA, Weiner LB, Souid AK (2001). “Classic Kaposi’s sarcoma associated with human herpesvirus 8 infection in a 13-year-old male: a case report”. Clin Cancer Res. 7 (8): 2263–8. PMID 11489800.
        7. Cetin, Bulent; Aktas, Bilge; Bal, Oznur; Algin, Efnan; Akman, Tulay; Koral, Lokman; Kaplan, Mehmet Ali; Demirci, Umut; Uncu, Dogan; Ozet, Ahmet (2018). “Classic Kaposi’s sarcoma: A review of 156 cases”. Dermatologica Sinica. 36 (4): 185–189. doi:10.1016/j.dsi.2018.06.005. ISSN 1027-8117.
        8. Uldrick TS, Whitby D (2011). “Update on KSHV epidemiology, Kaposi Sarcoma pathogenesis, and treatment of Kaposi Sarcoma”. Cancer Lett. 305 (2): 150–62. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2011.02.006. PMC 3085592. PMID 21377267.
        9. Siegel JH, Janis R, Alper JC, Schutte H, Robbins L, Blaufox MD (1969). “Disseminated visceral Kaposi’s sarcoma. Appearance after human renal homograft operation”. JAMA. 207 (8): 1493–6. PMID 4884743.
        10. Klepp O, Dahl O, Stenwig JT (1978). “Association of Kaposi’s sarcoma and prior immunosuppressive therapy: a 5-year material of Kaposi’s sarcoma in Norway”. Cancer. 42 (6): 2626–30. doi:10.1002/1097-0142(197812)42:6<2626::aid-cncr2820420618>3.0.co;2-7. PMID 728865.
        11. Thomas S, Sindhu CB, Sreekumar S, Sasidharan PK (2011). “AIDS associated Kaposi’s sarcoma”. J Assoc Physicians India. 59: 387–9. PMID 21751599.
        12. Friedman-Kien, Alvin E.; Saltzman, Brian R. (1990). “Clinical manifestations of classical, endemic African, and epidemic AIDS-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma”. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 22 (6): 1237–1250. doi:10.1016/0190-9622(90)70169-I. ISSN 0190-9622.


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