title: Fifty-one Kaposi sarcoma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a mesenchymal tumor originating from lymphatic endothelial cells. Immunosuppressive patients have higher risk for KS. HHV-8 has a role in immunopathogenesis of KS. Aim Evaluation of demographical properties with tumor characteristics and treatment modalities of KS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histopathologically documented KS patients were evaluated retrospectively. Anti-HIV seroprevalence was also evaluated with patient and tumor characteristics besides treatment regimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one patients were included between September 1998 and February 2009. Male/female ratio was 3.25 (39/12). Median age was 68 (31-94). Lower extremity was the most common site whereas excisional biopsy was the most common diagnostic procedure. Smoking rate was 42.8%. Twenty percent had family history for cancer. Anti- HIV seropositivity rate was 1.9%. Thirty eight percent had local monotherapy, and radiotherapy was most common (26%). Multidisciplinary approach rate was 44%. Most of them had surgery and radiotherapy combination. Two-third of the patients had radiotherapy alone or with other modalities. Rates were as 12% for chemotherapy and 6% for interferon. Vincristine-bleomycin-doxorubicin combination was the most preferred regimen (60%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Male patients in the sixth decade seem to have higher risk for KS. Smoking rate was almost as high. Local therapy might be sufficient in most of the patients. However, we may also consider systemic chemotherapy for selected patients, including vincristine, bleomycin and doxorubicin.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Cebeci Hospital, Dikimevi, Ankara, Turkey. mutludogan1@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mutlu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Lutfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Feyyaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Nuriye Yildirim
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Hasan Senol
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Ulku Yalcintas
authors.initials: UY
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Guze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozal
authors.forename: Gungor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Utkan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirkazik
authors.forename: Fazil
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zengin
authors.forename: Fikri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Icli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12