Question

A 50-year-old HIV patient presented with a painless lesion, as shown in the image.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

• A. Basal cell carcinoma
• B. Kaposi sarcoma
• C. Malignant melanoma
• D. Squamous cell carcinoma

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The question describes a 50-year-old HIV patient with a painless lesion. In patients with HIV/AIDS, certain conditions become more prevalent due to immunosuppression. One key diagnosis to consider in such patients, especially with lesions that appear on the skin, is Kaposi sarcoma.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a tumor caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). It commonly presents as purple, red, or brown patches or nodules on the skin, and is typically painless. It is more prevalent in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV/AIDS.

Condition	Characteristic Features
Basal cell carcinoma	Slow-growing, often on sun-exposed skin, presents as pearly nodules
Kaposi sarcoma	Painless, purple lesions commonly on skin; associated with HIV
Malignant melanoma	Pigmented lesions with changing appearance, asymmetrical with irregular borders
Squamous cell carcinoma	Lesions often scaly or crusty, may ulcerate, occur on sun-exposed areas

Given the patient's HIV status and the characteristic of the lesion, the most likely diagnosis is Kaposi sarcoma.