Long-term complete remission of laryngeal Kaposi's sarcoma after palliative radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: A 43-year-old Caucasian man presented with enlarged right laterocervical lymph nodes, and a 6-month history of diarrhea and 9 kg weight loss. His previous medical history was unremarkable. Physical examination and a cervical CT scan showed several indistinct necrotic right laterocervical lymph nodes of 4 cm maximal diameter, but with no lesions of the respiratory or digestive tracts. INVESTIGATIONS: Physical examination, cervical CT scan, laterocervical lymph node biopsy, laboratory tests, and endoscopy. DIAGNOSIS: Clinical stage 4 AIDS with stage T0 I1 S1 epidemic AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma of the laterocervical lymph nodes and, subsequently, the larynx. MANAGEMENT: Highly active antiretroviral treatment (stavudine, didanosine, and nelfinavir), tracheotomy, and palliative radiotherapy.