부산대학교 도서관

Kaposi's sarcoma is a disease characterized by numerous areas of cell overgrowth that develop initially on the skin and then at other sites in the body. These lesions may become sarcomas, which are tumors of connective tissue. Kaposi's sarcoma is thought to result from a condition of reduced immunity, and treatment with drugs that suppress the immune system has been associated with its development. A case is described of a 45-year-old woman with temporal arteritis, the chronic inflammation of the large arteries, who developed Kaposi's sarcoma after long-term treatment with the anti-inflammatory agent prednisone. The patient developed several irregular red-brown and purple spots, node-like skin lesions, and patches on the face, chest, back, arms, hands, and legs. Tissue microscopic examination of a biopsy specimen confirmed a diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma. The patient was treated with vincristine and radiation therapy, and the dose of prednisone was reduced. This resulted in regression of several skin lesions. Several studies have reported Kaposi's sarcoma arising in conjunction with the use of immunosuppressive agents. Kaposi's sarcoma develops more rapidly when corticosteroids are combined with other immunosuppressive agents. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)