[Kaposi's disease in Western Africa. 11 cases in Mali]

Eleven cases of Kaposi's angiosarcoma (ASK) were observed in Bamako over a 2 year period, representing one third of all malignant cutaneous tumours. There was a clear cut male prevalence. The average age of the patients was 32 years. The commonest sites of involvement were cutaneous, osseous, lymphatic and gastrointestinal. Special features of this series included prurigo preceding skin lesions, a single gastric localisation and involvement of the cavum. Rapid progression was observed in 3 cases, 2 of which had fatal outcomes. Two patients had multifocal disseminated disease at the outset. These cases were similar to ASK in patients with AIDS but our patients were not immunodepressed and LAV serology was negative. The results of chemotherapy were incomplete and transient. This series demonstrates the presence of acute, polyvisceral forms of ASK in Mali which may be classified as intermediary between the classical European or African ASK and the ASK observed in AIDS with positive serology in Central Africa.