Kaposi's sarcoma. Gastrointestinal involvement correlation with skin findings and immunologic function.

We have evaluated 19 homosexual/bisexual male patients with biopsy-proven Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of the skin in order to define the extent of gastrointestinal involvement and determine its correlation with oral mucosal disease, skin findings, and immunologic function. Nearly half the patients had oral mucosal lesions. In patients with oral mucosal lesions, 75% had gastrointestinal lesions. Some gastrointestinal involvement during the period of observation was present in 10 of the 19 patients. Involvement of the upper gastrointestinal tract was more common than colonic involvement: esophagus 1, stomach 8, duodenum 3, and colon 6. Significant immunosuppression was observed in these patients, measured in vitro by natural killer (NK) assay, and lymphocyte proliferation response to mitogens.