Background: Kaposi's sarcoma is the most common malignancy among HIV patients. This systemic disease has an unpredictable clinical course and commonly manifests as a cutaneous face, trunk or lower extremity lesion.
Case: A 38-year-old, multiparous woman and AIDS patient presented with left vulvar edema and pain. The patient subsequently underwent surgery for incision and drainage of a possible abscess. Operative biopsy demonstrated Kaposi's sarcoma, which was treated with palliative radiation therapy. The patient was discharged in the care of hospice.
Conclusion: Vulvar lesions may be thefirst sign of systemic Kaposi's sarcoma in the immunocompromised woman. Most vulvar lesions warrant careful evaluation and biopsy.