Knotty skin tumors of an 80-year-old patient presenting with estimated diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency

Kaposi's sarcoma in HIV-infected patients is a sign of progressive immunodeficiency. It is therefore classified as an AIDS-defining disease according to the CDC classification of 1993. Before antiretroviral therapy became available, disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma was a common therapeutic problem in HIV-infected patients. Therapeutic interventions were limited and in spite of interferon, irradiation or cytostatic drugs, chances of a definitive healing were minimal.Today, disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma is rare even in specialized clinics for infectious diseases. An exception are patients who are not aware of their HIV serostatus until they are diagnosed HIV-positive and who present already with a progressive immunodeficiency.