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Fulminant Kaposi's sarcoma complicating long-term corticosteroid therapy
H O Koop1, M Holodniy, A F List
1Department of Internal Medicine, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona.
The American Journal of Medicine
|October 1, 1987
Summary
A rare case of rapidly progressive Kaposi's sarcoma in a woman on long-term corticosteroids highlights a potential link between cytomegalovirus infection and this condition, distinct from HIV-related cases.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Long-term corticosteroid therapy is a rare risk factor for cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma.
- Crohn's disease and familial Mediterranean fever are chronic inflammatory conditions.
Observation:
- A 29-year-old Palestinian woman with steroid-dependent Crohn's disease and familial Mediterranean fever developed a rapidly progressive form of Kaposi's sarcoma.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exposure was ruled out through serologic and virologic studies despite a history of transfusions.
Findings:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was identified concurrently.
- The findings suggest CMV may play a role in Kaposi's sarcoma pathogenesis, mimicking aspects of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi's sarcoma.
Implications:
- This case expands the understanding of Kaposi's sarcoma etiology beyond HIV.
- It underscores the importance of considering opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients on long-term immunosuppressive therapy.
- Further research into the role of CMV in non-HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma is warranted.