Background: Classic Kaposiâ��s sarcoma (CKS) is a rare disease likely associated with human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8)\r\ninfection, and occurs predominantly in Jewish, Mediterranean and middle eastern men .There is a dearth of data in\r\nMoroccan patients with CKS regarding epidemiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes. This report examines a\r\ncohort of patients with CKS evaluated at the national institute of oncology over 11-year period.\r\nMethods: A retrospective analysis of patients referred to the national institute of oncology with classical Kaposi\r\nsarcoma, between January 1998 and February 2008, was performed. Reviewed information included demographics,\r\nclinical and pathological staging, death or last follow-up.\r\nResults: During the study period, 56 patients with a diagnosis of CKS have been referred to our hospital. There\r\nwere 11(19,7%) females and 45 (80,3%) males (male-to-female ratio: 4:1). Mean age at diagnosis was 61,7 �± 15\r\n(range: 15- 86 years). Nodules and/or plaques were the most frequent type of lesion. The most common location\r\nwas the lower limbs, particularly the distal lower extremity (90%). In addition to skin involvement, visceral spread\r\nwas evident in 9 cases. The most common visceral involvement sites were lymph nodes (44%), lung (22%), and\r\ngastrointestinal tract (22%). Associated lymphoedema was seen in 24 (42%) of the patients. There were 18 stage I\r\npatients (32,14%), 8: stage II (14,28%), 21 stage III(37,5%) and 9 stage IV (16,07%). A second primary malignancy was\r\ndiagnosed in 6 cases (10,7%), none of the reticuloendothelial system.\r\nWith a median follow-up of 45 months, 38 (67,8) patients are alive, of whom 25 (65,78%) patients with stable\r\ndisease, five with progressive disease currently under systemic chemotherapy and 8(21,05%) are alive and free of\r\ndisease, over a mean interval of 5 years.\r\nConclusion: This is the largest reported series in our context. In Morocco, CKS exhibits some special characteristics\r\nincluding a disseminated skin disease at diagnosis especially in men, a more common visceral or lymph node\r\ninvolvement and a less frequent association with second malignancies.
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