Fine needle aspiration cytology determinants of the diagnosis of primary nodal Kaposi's sarcoma as the first sign of unknown HIV infection: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a vascular malignant tumor characterized by human herpesvirus 8 infection of neoplastic cells. Diffuse cutaneous lesions represent the classical clinical presentation. This case report describes the first fine needle aspiration cytology findings of a primary lymph nodal KS, a rather unusual localization of the disease.

CASE

A 28-year-old, apparently healthy man saw a surgeon for right inguinal node enlargement without other symptoms. The clinician performed fine needle aspiration and made a preliminary diagnosis of a neoplasm of probable mesenchymal origin, not otherwise specified. The lymph node was excised, and the final histologic diagnosis was primary lymphoadenopathic KS. A serologic test revealed antibody positivity for HIV.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of primary KS of the lymph node, in the absence of any other clinical manifestation, was the first sign of HIV infection.