Simultaneous development of Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma in a renal transplant recipient

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are frequent complications of renal transplantation that usually occur as separate entities. We describe a young woman who simultaneously developed Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma after kidney transplantation. Immunosuppression consisted of cyclosporine and prednisone with normal serum creatinine. Fifteen months after transplantation, she developed Kaposi's sarcoma skin lesions, generalized lymphadenopathy, and ascites. A lymph node biopsy showed both Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma in the same tissue specimen with Epstein-Barr viral genomes within the tumor cells. Graft function remained normal. Cyclosporine was discontinued, and treatment with acyclovir was started, but the patient's condition rapidly deteriorated, and she died. This is the first case in which both Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma were present in the same biopsy specimen. After renal transplantation, more than one tumor can develop either simultaneously or in succession. (Am J Kidney Dis 1998 Apr;31(4):706-9)