Rituximab-Induced Kaposi Sarcoma in HIV-Negative Patients: A Narrative Review

Alexandru Oprita; Horia Cotan; Dana Celmare; Radu Emilescu

doi:10.7759/cureus.45365

Rituximab-Induced Kaposi Sarcoma in HIV-Negative Patients: A Narrative Review

Cureus. 2023 Sep 16;15(9):e45365. doi: 10.7759/cureus.45365. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Authors

Alexandru Oprita¹, Horia Cotan², Dana Celmare¹, Radu Emilescu³

Affiliations

¹ Oncology, Saint Nicholas Medical Center, Pitesti, ROU.
² Oncology, Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, ROU.
³ Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, C.I. Parhon National Institute of Endocrinology, Bucharest, ROU.

Abstract

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a low-grade mesenchymal angioproliferative disorder that requires infection with human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) for it to develop. It is commonly seen in HIV-positive patients and rarely in immunosuppressed HIV-negative patients. Rituximab is a monoclonal anti-CD20 chimeric murine/human immunoglobulin G antibody used to treat B cell lymphoproliferative diseases as well as a variety of autoimmune disorders. Several cases of iatrogenic Kaposi sarcoma (iKS) have been described after rituximab treatment. The purpose of this narrative review is to identify the presence of common clinical characteristics among rituximab-induced KS patients that could facilitate better management of this rare condition.

Keywords: iatrogenic kaposi sarcoma; kaposi sarcoma; kaposi sarcoma management; metachronous cancer; rituximab.

Publication types

Review