Last reviewed: 14 Feb 2025
Last updated: 10 Jan 2025
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- presence of risk factors
- age >50 years
- male sex
- geographical location: central Africa or the Mediterranean
- HIV infection
- human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8, also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus [KSHV]) infection
- immunosuppression
- skin lesion
- oral lesion
- lymphadenopathy
- lymphoedema
Full details
Other diagnostic factors
- weight loss
- abdominal pain
- gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding
- diarrhoea
- dyspnoea
- haemoptysis
- chest pain
- fever
Full details
Risk factors
- male sex
- HIV infection
- immunosuppressive therapy
- human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8, also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus [KSHV]) infection
- central African ethnicity
- drug abuse
- Jewish ethnicity
- Mediterranean ethnicity
- age <5 years or >50 years
- men who have sex with men
- Black American ethnicity
Full details
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- HIV test
- FBC and comprehensive metabolic panel
- skin/mucosal biopsy
Full details
Investigations to consider
- chest x-ray
- chest CT and bronchoscopy
- CT abdomen/pelvis
- MRI
- faecal occult blood
- gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy
- PET scan
- lymph node biopsy
- renal function tests
- liver function tests
Full details
Emerging tests
- human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) viraemia and serology
Treatment algorithm
ACUTE
HIV-associated KS
classic (sporadic) KS
iatrogenic (transplant-related) KS
endemic (observed in sub-Saharan Africa) KS
Contributors
Authors
David Aboulafia, MD
Attending Hematologist and Oncologist
Virginia Mason Clinical Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology and Oncology
University of Washington
Seattle
WA
Disclosures
DA is the author of articles cited in this topic.
Acknowledgements
Dr David Aboulafia would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Liron Pantanowitz and Dr Bruce J. Dezube, previous contributors to this topic.
Peer reviewers
Justin Stebbing, MA, MRCP, MRCPath, PhD
Consultant Medical Oncologist/Senior Lecturer
Department of Medical Oncology
Imperial College/Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust
Charing Cross Hospital
London
UK
Disclosures
JS declares that he has no competing interests.
Thierry Simonart, MD, PhD
Physician
Department of Dermatology
Erasme University Hospital
Brussels
Belgium
Disclosures
TS declares that he has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Bacillary angiomatosis
- Pyogenic granuloma
- Dermatofibroma
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in adults and adolescents with HIV
- Kaposi sarcoma treatment (PDQ)
More Guidelines
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