KAPOSIS-SARCOMA ON A LYMPHEDEMATOUS ARM AFTER MASTECTOMY

Two patients with Kaposi's sarcoma developing in an area of lymphedema tous arm postmastectomy are reported. The Kaposi's sarcoma occurred af ter latent periods of 26 and 7 years following radical and modified-ra dical mastectomy, respectively, in the edematous tissue of the ipsilat eral arm. The cutaneous nodules were purple in color and ranged in siz e from a few millimeters to >1 cm in diameter. The results of routine laboratory tests were all within normal limits. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody and cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen, using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were negative.