KARPOSI SARCOMA PRESENTING WITHOUT CUTANE OUS INVOLVEMENT IN AIDS - 24 CASES

We report results of a retrospective study of Kaposi sarcoma without c utaneous involvement at diagnosis in patients with AIDS. We observed 2 4 cases, 22 males and 2 females, and 13 cases had already developped f ull blown AIDS before. Kaposi sarcoma's involvement was sexual in 2 ca ses, oral in 11 cases, oesophageal in 3 cases, gastrointestinal in 9 c ases, lymphatic in 3 cases and pulmonary in 4 cases. Digestive tract i nvolvement was frequently diagnosed because an important tumor mass pr oduced clinical signs. During follow up, cutaneous involvement was evi dent in 10 cases. After review of other cases of Kaposi sarcoma seen d uring the same period of time in our practice, Kaposi sarcoma without cutaneous involvement at diagnosis appeared to be a late manifestation of AIDS, in patients with severe immune abnormalities.