AIDS-related Gastrointestinal Kaposi Sarcoma in Korea: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Sept 2012

Chung CY, Park SW, Myung E, Cho DK, Song YA, Park KJ, Jang HC, Joo YE.

Source

Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, 8 Hak-dong, Dong-ku, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.

Abstract

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a vascular neoplasm, which is fairly prevalent in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Mucocutaneous and lymph node involvements are characteristic features of KS in AIDS patients. The involvement of gastrointestinal tract occurs in 40% of KS patients and leads to significant morbidity and mortality. In the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, the rate of AIDS related KS has fallen with control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viremia. However, it is still recognized as the primary AIDS-defining illness, and the proportion of AIDS diagnoses made due to KS ranged from 4.1% to 7.5%. In Korea, AIDS-related KS has been report in low rate incidence. Its gastrointestinal involvements are rarely reported. To date, five cases have been recorded in Korea. Herein, we present an additional case of gastrointestinal KS as the AIDS-defining illness and review of the Korean medical literature. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2012;60:166-171).

KJG