Kaposi sarcoma in a patient with chronic renal failure undergoing dialysis

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a multicentric proliferative vascular tumor involving the skin and other organs. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) has been detected in KS lesions and is considered the putative causative agent of KS. The relationship between chronic renal failure, HHV-8, and KS is not clear. KS appears to develop in association with renal transplantation, but is unlikely with dialysis, and there have been few reports on this. Here, we report the case of a 51-year-old man, who underwent peritoneal dialysis to treat chronic renal failure, and presented with multiple brownish plaques on his soles. On histopathological examination, abnormally proliferated vessels, vascular slits, and spindle-shaped cells were seen in the dermis. Immunohistochemical staining for HHV-8 was positive. This case is another example in which factors other than immunosuppression contributed to the development of KS, due to activation of HHV-8.