Kaposi sarcoma is most commonly associated with which patient population?

Kaposi sarcoma is most commonly associated with which patient population?

• A. AIDS patients
• B. Children with asthma
• C. Elderly with osteoarthritis
• D. Athletes with hypertension

Answer: (A)

Kaposi sarcoma is a vascular tumor caused by infection with HHV-8 that appears when the immune system is unable to control the virus-driven endothelial proliferation. The key factor is impaired cell-mediated immunity, which is most profoundly seen in HIV infection with AIDS. In that setting, reduced CD4+ T-cell function allows HHV-8–driven angioproliferation to develop and often spread, making AIDS patients the population in which Kaposi sarcoma is most commonly seen. Other groups listed do not have the same level of HIV-related immunosuppression, so KS is far less typical in them.

Kaposi sarcoma is a vascular tumor caused by infection with HHV-8 that appears when the immune system is unable to control the virus-driven endothelial proliferation. The key factor is impaired cell-mediated immunity, which is most profoundly seen in HIV infection with AIDS. In that setting, reduced CD4+ T-cell function allows HHV-8–driven angioproliferation to develop and often spread, making AIDS patients the population in which Kaposi sarcoma is most commonly seen. Other groups listed do not have the same level of HIV-related immunosuppression, so KS is far less typical in them.