An overview of classic Kaposi's sarcoma in Greece.

Classic Kaposi's sarcoma (CKS) is a rare tumor affecting mainly the elderly and running a chronic and indolent course. CKS in Greece is not uncommon with an estimated annual incidence of 0.47/1000,000 population, representing 1.35% of all malignant neoplasms. Furthermore, it is characterised by endemic clustering and clinico-epidemiological peculiaritis, supporting the speculation that it may represent a distinct form, the Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma, or a subtype of CKS. Kaposi's sarcoma is a multicentric angiomatous tumor of obscure etiopathogenesis and histogenesis. Based on clinical and epidemiological grounds, four distinct forms have been recognized: classic or sporadic, African or endemic, iatrogenic and epidemics or AIDS-associated KS [1].