Kaposi's sarcoma: a descriptive series of 90 cases in the city of Kinshasa

Abstract

Context & objective. Kaposi's sarcoma is an angioproliferative tumor that occurs both on the skin and in internal organs. The objective of the present study was to determine its frequency and describe its epidemiological and histopathological profile in the city of Kinshasa. Methods. This was a retrospective study conducted in three pathological anatomy laboratories in Kinshasa. Biopsy slides were re-read and reclassified by at least two independent pathologists at the Kinshas University Hospital (KUH). The variables of interest included age, sex, location, and histopathological subtypes of Kaposi's sarcoma. Results. Of 5,432 biopsies and excision specimens diagnosed with malignant tumors, 115 were diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma, representing a relative frequency of 2.11%. Men were predominant (70%), with a sex ratio of 2.13 men to women. The mean age was 35 ± 6 years. The lower limbs were the most common location in 90.1% of cases. The angiomatous subtype was the most common, accounting for 40% of cases. Conclusion. The frequency of Kaposi's sarcoma appears to be low in our series. Young adult males were more affected and the lower limbs were more frequently affected. Received: September 23th, 2025 Accepted: October 23th, 2025 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v19i1.15