KAPOSIS-SARCOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK IN PATIENTS WITH ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME

Kaposi's sarcoma is the most common neoplastic process in patients inf ected with the human immunodeficiency virus. Moreover, the occurrence of Kaposi's sarcoma in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients advances their classification to having the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We reviewed the medical records of 48 patients with human im munodeficiency virus infection who had Kaposi's sarcoma documented on their initial visit to the hospital. The onset of Kaposi's sarcoma occ urred independent of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cl assification of human immunodeficiency virus infection (modified to ex clude Kaposi's sarcoma). This neoplasm developed more frequently in pa tients who acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection by sexual c ontact (75% of cases), but manifestations were not significantly diffe rent in any of the risk populations for human immunodeficiency virus i nfection. Kaposi's sarcoma lesions were unpredictable and either showe d progression, remained static, or occasionally, regressed spontaneous ly. Moreover, the lesions were usually multifocal at presentation, wit h the head and neck (62.5% of cases) as the primary site of involvemen t. In this region cutaneous lesions predominated (66.7%), followed by mucosal (56.7%) and deep structure (13.3%) involvement. The majority o f patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Kaposi's sarcoma in volving head and neck structures were asymptomatic (80% of cases). Muc osal lesions were associated with symptoms in 29.3% of cases, whereas cutaneous lesions had symptoms in 5% of cases.