Background: Classic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a rare angioproliferative neoplasm which typically occurs on the skin of the lower limbs of immunocompetent elderly men. Bone involvement in classic KS has been exceptionally reported.
Objectives: To identify patients with classic KS who developed bone involvement based on a retrospective analysis of our departmental database.
Materials and methods: Clinical presentation, diagnostic method, treatment, and outcome were analysed and compared with cases reported in the literature.
Results: In total, we identified 1,196 patients with classic KS, three (0.25%) of whom developed bone involvement. The patients were all male and the average age at onset of bone involvement was 81.3 years. All three patients had biopsy-proven anaplastic KS affecting a bone of the lower limb. Bone radiological features were non-specific in one patient, while in all patients magnetic resonance imaging revealed osteolytic lesions and/or a solid tumour. HHV8 genotype analysis was performed in two patients, and subtypes A and C were found.
Conclusion: Bone involvement should be considered in patients with known KS presenting with bone pain.
Keywords: HHV8; Kaposi's sarcoma (KS); anaplastic KS; bone.