Abstract
Purpose. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a rare low-grade vascular tumor associated with the human herpes virus 8. By analyzing the epidemiology, staging, and treatment of KS, we hoped to improve the quality of care at our institution. Methods. Review of the Mount Sinai Medical Center tumor registry database in Miami Beach, FL, USA, identified 143 cases of KS between January 1, 1987 and December 31, 2007. Results. The majority of patients were non-Hispanic whites, non smoking males diagnosed between 1987 and 1996. Most of the patients were HIV positive, with an equal percentage diagnosed with local or distant disease. Most patients received no chemotherapy or radiation. There were no significant differences in patient survival based on sex, HIV status, or radiation received. There was a trend toward improved survival among older patients who smoked, received no chemotherapy, and had localized stage at diagnosis. Multivariate analysis revealed that non-Hispanic whites had a significant worse survival than Hispanic whites (HR = 0.55, 95% CI (0.33, 0.90), P = 0.02). Patients diagnosed between 1987 and 1996 had a worse survival than those between 1997 and 2007 (HR = 0.33 (95% CI 0.19, 0.55), P < 0.0001). Conclusion. This large retrospective study provides further insight into KS. Ethnicity and date of diagnosis are important predictors of long-term survival.