Severe course of HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma with cutaneous, visceral and oral manifestations in a late-presenting patient

Kaposi's sarcoma is a soft tissue tumor caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). One of its forms is associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is characterized by involvement of the skin and internal organs. We present a case of a 42-year-old male diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma with cutaneous, oral and visceral manifestations. During the months of hospitalization the patient suffered from neutropenic fever, gastrointestinal bleedings and required multiple blood transfusions. The patient was started on antiretroviral treatment followed by chemotherapy with paclitaxel. The skin lesions regressed, the patient gained weight and there was an improvement in performance status. This case demonstrates how severe HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma can be and the effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment combined with chemotherapy in combating the disease. The authors believe that great effort must be made to prevent new HIV infections and all the negative implications that may follow.