Kaposi Sarcoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A challenging Case

• Main Authors: Daniela Macedo, Pedro Miguel Garrido, Isabel Fernandes, Alice Santana, José Guerra, João Borges-Costa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Portuguesa de Dermatologia e Venereologia 2019-10-01
• Series: Revista da Sociedade Portuguesa de Dermatologia e Venereologia
• Subjects: Immunocompromised Host; Organ Transplantation/adverse effects; Sarcoma, Kaposi/etiology; Transplant Recipients
• Online Access: https://revista.spdv.com.pt/index.php/spdv/article/view/1085

Kaposi sarcoma is a low-grade vascular tumor, associated with human herpesvirus-8 infection. Solid organ transplant recipients have a much higher risk of this malignancy, with estimated incidence rates increased 84 to 500 times. The risk is even higher in some ethnic groups, already with a higher incidence of this disease.  We report a case of a 37-year-old African male, a kidney transplant recipient, with a Kaposi sarcoma refractory to different treatment options. The present case puts in evidence the challenges associated with the management of this disease in this high-risk population and highlights the role of a multidisciplinary approach to achieve effective treatment, particularly in advanced and refractory forms.