Kaposi’s sarcoma: a 15-year retrospective study in a Portuguese hospital

Hugo J. Leme, Serviço de Dermatologia, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal José Ramos, Serviço de Dermatologia, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal António Magarreiro-Silva, Serviço de Dermatologia, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal Ana I. Gouveia, Serviço de Dermatologia, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal João Alves, Serviço de Dermatologia, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal

Objectives: To characterize the demographic and clinical aspects and describe the therapeutic approaches used in patients with Kaposi’s sarcoma at Hospital Garcia de Orta. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational study that included patients with a histological diagnosis of Kaposi’s sarcoma at Hospital Garcia de Orta between March 2009 and March 2024. Results: A total of 55 patients were included, 43 males and 12 females, with an average age at diagnosis of 63.55 years. The majority of patients (67.3%) had lesions in a single anatomical location, mainly in the lower limbs. The most frequently observed subtype was classic (38.2%), followed by epidemic (36.4%), endemic (23.6%) and, finally, iatrogenic (1.8%). The time from symptom onset to diagnosis was longer in the endemic subtype (40.78 months). The epidemic subtype had the highest proportion of patients with systemic involvement (55%). The majority of patients (56.4%) underwent monotherapy. There was heterogeneity in the therapeutic modalities used. Conclusion: This study highlights there is still a considerable delay in diagnosis, underlines the evolving demographic characteristics of the disease, and emphasizes the importance of adapting treatment to the subtype and extent of the disease.

Keywords: Kaposi’s sarcoma. Classification. HIV. Human herpesvirus 8.