Association of clinical progression in classic Kaposi's sarcoma with reduction of peripheral B lymphocytes and partial increase in serum immune activation markers.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate various immunologic markers in the peripheral blood of patients with early and advanced classic Kaposi's sarcoma (CKS).


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
A major referral center for skin and venereal diseases.


METHODS
Sixty-eight patients with histologically confirmed CKS staged according to a modified version of the Mitsuyasu-Groopman classification in stage I-II (cutaneous involvement only) and stage IV (skin and systemic involvement).


METHODS
Concentrations of neopterin and beta2-microglobulin, titer of anti-human herpesvirus 8 antibodies, number of natural killer cells, and numbers of total lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, and their subsets in peripheral blood.


RESULTS
The median values of beta2-microglobulin and neopterin were elevated in patients with CKS in stage IV (median, 3.679 microg/mL [312.72 nmol/L] and 14.0 nmol/L, respectively) compared with patients in stage I-II (median, 2.406 microg/mL [204.51 nmol/L] and 6.5 nmol/L, respectively). A statistically significant reduction in total lymphocyte and B-lymphocyte counts was observed in patients with advanced-stage CKS (1679/microL and 79/microL, respectively) compared with patients in earlier stages of the disease (2142/microL and 224/microL, respectively). The human herpesvirus 8 antibody titer, determined by latent immunofluorescent assay, decreased from stage I-II to stage IV, although not at a statistically significant level (P = .14).


CONCLUSIONS
The evolution of CKS from the early stages of the disease to the more advanced may be associated with a partial activation of the immune system and a gradual decrease in the number of total and B lymphocytes.
Stratigos
Alexander J
AJ
Department of Dermatology, University of Athens, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Athens, Greece. alstrat@hol.gr
Malanos
Dimitrios
D
Touloumi
Giota
G
Antoniou
Anna
A
Potouridou
Irene
I
Polydorou
Dorothea
D
Katsambas
Andreas D
AD
Whitby
Denise
D
Mueller
Nancy
N
Stratigos
John D
JD
Hatzakis
Angelos
A
D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D019798:Neopterin