[Granulocytic sarcoma in the mandibular gingiva of an HIV+ patient].

INTRODUCTION: The association between malignant tumors and HIV infection is well known. We report a rare case of gingival granulocytic sarcoma (GS) associated to HIV infection. OBSERVATION: A 31 year-old HIV patient consulted for left maxillary tumefaction. His viral load was high (40,112 copies/ml) and CD4 count low (287cells/mm(3)). After biopsy-exeresis, histology and an immunohistochemical study confirmed the diagnosis of GS. Chemotherapy similar to that of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) completed the treatment. The remission was complete at 5 years. DISCUSSION: Only one case of intra-oral GS associated to HIV infection has been reported so far. The clinical and radiological presentation is unspecific. Histology proves the diagnosis. The treatment is comparable to that of AML. The prognosis is usually bad. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.