Kaposi's sarcoma complicating corticosteroid therapy for temporal arteritis

Combination immunosuppressive therapy, particularly in renal transplant recipients, is associated with a higher than expected risk of development of Kaposi's sarcoma. In this report, cutaneous dissemination of Kaposi's sarcoma occurred in a patient with temporal arteritis who was treated with corticosteroids. Reduction of the steroid dosage was followed by regression of the tumor. This sequence of events suggests a causal relationship between the evolution of the sarcoma and corticosteroid therapy. Although Kaposi's sarcoma may complicate corticosteroid therapy alone, the incidence is considerably lower than in renal transplant recipients receiving combination immunosuppressive therapy. Considering the large number of patients with temporal arteritis who are treated with steroids and that this is the first report of its association with Kaposi's sarcoma, it seems that other factors, perhaps genetic, might be important in the development of this neoplasm.