A case of gastrointestinal Kaposi sarcoma in a patient with AIDS / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Kaposi sarcoma in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is rarely seen in Korea and the incidence has declined in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Visceral involvement in patients having AIDS with Kaposi sarcoma is more common than in patients infected with non-human immunodeficiency virus. Visceral involvement may be asymptomatic and usuallydoes not require specific therapy. Chemotherapy is usually used in symptomatic or rapidly progressive disease, and interferon- alpha can be applied as an alternative treatment option. Compared to cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS, only three cases of gastrointestinal Kaposi sarcoma in patients with AIDS have been reported in Korea, and no experience with interferon therapy for AIDS-associated visceral Kaposi sarcoma has been reported. We report a case of gastrointestinal Kaposi sarcoma in a patient with AIDS who had combined treatment with interferon-alpha and HAART.