Kaposi sarcoma after non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Response to withdrawal of immunosuppressant therapy correlated with whole blood human herpesvirus-8 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction levels

摘要

Four variants of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) have been recognized: classic, endemic, epidemic or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated, and immunosuppression- or transplant-associated KS [1]. Regardless of clinical subset, infection by human herpesvirus type-8 (HHV-8) has been implicated in its pathogenesis, and the level of immunosuppression is the main factor for the development and progression of disease. We report a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who developed KS after a non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplant, and achieved a dramatic response to withdrawal of immunosuppresant therapy (IT). Whole blood reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for HHV-8 correlated with KS response.