[Kaposi's sarcoma and malignant lymphoma. Discussion of this association (author's transl)]

Kaposi's sarcoma was diagnosed in a 62 year old female at the last stage of an indefined malignant lymphoma. Clinically and histopathologically, some cutaneous aspects were consistent with mycosis fungoides. However, the histological examination of lymph-nodes led to the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease, sometimes associated with features of Kaposi's sarcoma. During the past few years, the occurrence of Kaposi's sarcoma in the course of cancers, malignant lymphomas and especially during Hodgkin's disease, has been reported. It has been suggested that immunosuppressive therapy undertaken for the initial tumor could account for a viral carcinogenesis. In this respect, the vascular proliferation observed in Kaposi's sarcoma could be compared with the lymphocyte induced angiogenesis, which occurs during the experimental graft versus host reaction. Therefore, Kaposi's sarcoma could be the result of a tumoral rejection. In the case of our observation, it does not seem possible to diagnose an angio-immunoblastic lymphadenopathy; but it is of interest to note that, in this later disease, histological features of vascular neogenesis have also been reported.