Kaposi's sarcoma in young homosexual men.

An outbreak of KS has been observed in young homosexual men. These patients are different from those with classical KS for the following reasons: 1. geographic distribution (clustering in New York and California); 2. age (younger, mean--39 years); 3. higher incidence; 4. sexual preference (homosexual); 5. distribution of skin lesions (face, upper extremities, trunk); 6. lymph node involvement; 7. visceral lesions; 8. associated opportunistic infections (Pneumocystis carinii, toxoplasmosis); 9. history of sexually-transmitted diseases (hepatitis, syphilis, gonorrhea); and 10. aggressive course of the disease. Awareness of these features of the new KS will enable the practitioner to better recognize this important, emerging disease.