Post transplant Kaposi's sarcoma among Nigerians: a report of two cases

With the establishment of kidney transplant centres in Nigeria and increase in the number of kidney transplant recipients returning home for follow up after successful transplant abroad, an increasing number of patients with post transplant complications are likely to be seen. There is the need for physicians vested with the care of these patients to be aware of the post transplant complications so that early diagnosis and effective treatment can be instituted so as to save both the patient and the allograft. Two out of seventeen renal transplant recipients followed up in our unit had post renal transplant Kaposi's sarcoma. Both were successfully treated with withdrawal of cyclosporin, reduction of other immunosuppressives and introduction of low dose Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF). One had a course of radiotherapy followed by weekly intravenous vincristine and the other only had vincristine with complete remission of the lesions in both patients. Post transplant Kaposi's sarcoma occurs in Nigerian transplant patients and this report highlights the need for increased awareness and high index of suspicion of post transplant Kaposi's sarcoma among kidney transplant recipients.