This patient was being treated for tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) by another doctor. We performed a punch biopsy to confirm our suspicion of a more aggressive condition.
The punch biopsy revealed Kaposi’s sarcoma. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a cancerous condition that develops from the endothelial cells (cells that line lymph or blood vessels). Patients with KS may be symptom-free, as with this patient, or may experience painful edema. This patient was HIV negative, but KS is frequently seen in those infected with HIV.
