Visceral Kaposi's Sarcoma as a Presentation in a Newly Diagnosed HIV-Infected Man: A Case Report

Abstract

Kaposi's sarcoma is an angioproliferative malignancy due to human herpesvirus-8 and is associated with immunosuppression. Although most cases are cutaneous and resolve with treatment of the underlying condition, few cases present with organ involvement and have a fulminant course. We present a case of a 24-year-old sexually active man who presented with fulminant visceral Kaposi's sarcoma, without cutaneous involvement. He presented with anasarca, high fever, hypoalbuminemia, and anemia on day five of antiretroviral therapy (ART). There was clinical improvement after the first dose of liposomal doxorubicin. However, given that he developed refractory pancytopenia, with disease relapse by the third week, he received a second dose of doxorubicin, with no clinical improvement, and the patient died with multi-organ dysfunction on day 22 of presentation. The main treatment is liposomal doxorubicin with ART, and the disease is typically associated with a poor prognosis.

Keywords: c-art; hiv; kaposi; sarcoma; visceral.

Figure 1. Histopathology image from the inguinal lymph nodes. Hematoxylin and eosin staining shows spindle cells in the lamina propria with extravasated red blood cells.

Figure 2. Non-contrast chest, abdomen, and pelvis CT showing bilateral pleural effusion and multiple lymph nodes.