KAPOSIS-SARCOMA OF THE LARYNX

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a neoplastic vascular disorder, classically a rising in the skin of the lower extremities. As a consequence of the a cquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, an increasing numbe r of patients have been found to have KS. In AIDS patients, KS appears to exhibit a more diffuse nature and frequently affects the head and neck. Mucosal lesions are most often seen, commonly involving the oral cavity. Only rare cases of laryngeal involvement have been recorded i n the literature. We report 2 cases of KS of the supraglottic larynx. Our first patient, an elderly man of Mediterranean descent, complained of voice change and throat discomfort. Endoscopy with biopsy for diag nosis allowed conservative treatment with chemotherapy. Our second pat ient was a younger man with AIDS who presented with symptoms of airway obstruction. Management with carbon dioxide laser epiglottectomy was successful in relieving that patient's symptoms. Although rare, KS may present in both healthy and immunocompromised patients, and must be c onsidered in the differential diagnosis of all violaceous lesions of t he larynx.