Kaposi's sarcoma and pregnancy: case report and literature review

Dermatology. 2013;226(4):311-4. doi: 10.1159/000349987. Epub 2013 Jul 2.

Abstract

We report the observation of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) worsening during the second trimester of pregnancy in 2 African women. Both patients were tested seronegative for HIV. They had no complication during their pregnancy, and no evidence of extracutaneous disease was found, allowing therapeutic abstention. They gave birth to healthy children showing no clinical evidence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection. Based on these observations and on the review of the literature, we discuss the risk of vertical transmission of HHV-8 as well as the impact of pregnancy on KS.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Herpesviridae Infections / transmission*
  • Herpesviridae Infections / virology
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical*
  • Live Birth
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / pathology*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / virology
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / pathology*
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / virology
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / virology
  • Young Adult