Cytogenetic study of Kaposi's sarcoma associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

We performed cytogenetic studies on direct preparations and short-term cultures from Kaposi's sarcoma cells obtained from malignant pericardial effusion. The patient, a 46-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus infection, initially presented with metastatic Kaposi's sarcoma. Despite therapy, his tumor proved aggressive, and the patient died of widespread pulmonary involvement nine months after diagnosis. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a predominant karyotype of 48,X,-Y, t(2;7)(q32;q36), +der(5)t(5;15)(q?15;q?15), -7, +del(7)(p15), +del(7)(p15), +der(8)t(8;D or G)(q24;p11.2), del(10)(p13), dup(12)(q24), t(18;20)(q21;q13). This case is described in relation to other published cytogenetic studies of this tumor.