TY - JOUR
T1 - Classic Kaposi's sarcoma associated with human herpesvirus 8 infection in a 13-year-old male
T2 - A case report
AU - Landau, Heather J.
AU - Poiesz, Bernard J.
AU - Dube, Samalima
AU - Bogart, Jeffrey A.
AU - Weiner, Leonard B.
AU - Souid, Abdul Kader
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Purpose: Classic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is rare in children. Although its etiology is not fully understood, human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is present in the angiogenic lesions. We report an HIV-negative, 13-year-old patient of Sicilian descent with HHV-8-associated classic KS to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of this entity in children. Experimental Design: DNA was extracted from the skin specimen of the patient and analyzed via PCR assay and Southern blot hybridization for HHV-8 DNA. The amplified HHV-8 DNA was cloned, sequenced, and compared with the prototype HHV-8-KS330/BAM. Results: The patient presented with purpuric lesions on the distal lower extremities and the tip of his nose, associated with thrombocytopenia and leukopenia, suggesting an immune-mediated cytopenia. While on prednisone, he developed marked vascular proliferation in the groins. Biopsy of the skin lesions showed KS, and HHV-8 was detected in the tissues by PCR. Sequence analysis of the amplified DNA was homologous to the prototype HHV-8-KS330/BAM. His HHV-8 strain was the A subgroup, the type associated with Mediterranean classic KS. Stopping prednisone and treatment with IFN-α and IgG resulted in regression of the groin lesions. Conclusions: This report emphasizes the importance of recognizing classic KS in children and avoiding immunosuppressive therapies in indolent classic KS. The diagnostic and therapeutic strategies were effective and well tolerated.
AB - Purpose: Classic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is rare in children. Although its etiology is not fully understood, human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is present in the angiogenic lesions. We report an HIV-negative, 13-year-old patient of Sicilian descent with HHV-8-associated classic KS to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of this entity in children. Experimental Design: DNA was extracted from the skin specimen of the patient and analyzed via PCR assay and Southern blot hybridization for HHV-8 DNA. The amplified HHV-8 DNA was cloned, sequenced, and compared with the prototype HHV-8-KS330/BAM. Results: The patient presented with purpuric lesions on the distal lower extremities and the tip of his nose, associated with thrombocytopenia and leukopenia, suggesting an immune-mediated cytopenia. While on prednisone, he developed marked vascular proliferation in the groins. Biopsy of the skin lesions showed KS, and HHV-8 was detected in the tissues by PCR. Sequence analysis of the amplified DNA was homologous to the prototype HHV-8-KS330/BAM. His HHV-8 strain was the A subgroup, the type associated with Mediterranean classic KS. Stopping prednisone and treatment with IFN-α and IgG resulted in regression of the groin lesions. Conclusions: This report emphasizes the importance of recognizing classic KS in children and avoiding immunosuppressive therapies in indolent classic KS. The diagnostic and therapeutic strategies were effective and well tolerated.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 11489800
AN - SCOPUS:0034880886
SN - 1078-0432
VL - 7
SP - 2263
EP - 2268
JO - Clinical Cancer Research
JF - Clinical Cancer Research
IS - 8
ER -