AIDS-related Kaposi's Sarcoma of the Nasopharynx

Received 26 September 2008; received in revised form 21 October 2008; accepted 28 October 2008.

Abstract

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related malignancy and may present in the head and neck as an initial sign of AIDS. However, it is rare in the nasopharynx. We report a 28-year-old man who complained of postnasal drip and occasional bloody saliva for 2 months. A purple-red bulging nasopharyngeal tumor was found on examination; a biopsy specimen proved that it was KS with positive human herpes virus type 8 (HHV-8) staining in the tumor cell nuclei. AIDS was diagnosed when enzyme immunoassay and Western blot were positive for serum human immunodeficiency virus. Antiviral therapy was given to treat AIDS, and low-dose radiation was given to treat nasopharyngeal KS with a complete response.

Keywords: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , Kaposi's sarcoma , Nasopharynx

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a Department of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

b School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan

c Department of Pathology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

d Department of Radiation Oncology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

Corresponding author. Department of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, 707, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien, Taiwan

PII: S1016-3190(09)60068-9

doi:10.1016/S1016-3190(09)60068-9

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