title: Classic Kaposi's sarcoma presenting in the oral cavity of two HIV-negative Quechua patients.
abstract: Traditionally, classic KS lesions have a general distribution, often involving the skin of the feet and legs, and to a lesser extent, that of the hands, arms, and trunk. Oral involvement is a rare manifestation. Initial oral involvement is an even rarer occurrence. We report two unusual cases of classic KS presenting in the oral cavity of two patients from indigenous origin; the first patient with primary oral KS lesion on the hard palate, with no other signs of the condition in any other region of the body; the second patient with generalized dermal KS lesions with lymph node and lower lip involvement. In conclusion, clinicians and pathologists should be aware of the typical clinical, gross, and histologic features of KS. Moreover, we would like to emphasize that oral KS may affect patients without AIDS or exposure to immunosuppression. The awareness of oral classic KS as a diagnostic possibility is important in the work-up of vascular lesions in the oral cavity of non-immunosuppressed individuals.
authors.affiliation: HHV-8 and Classic Kaposi's Sarcoma Working Group, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. salim.mohanna@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohanna
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ferrufino
authors.forename: Juvenal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gotuzzo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010568:Peru; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology*