Common Cancer-Related Factors and the Risk of Developing Kaposi Sarcoma in Individuals without AIDS: Korea National Health Insurance Services Claims Database.

Backgrounds: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a unique form of cancer with epidemiological characteristics distinct from those of other solid cancers. While common risk factors including alcohol consumption, smoking, and metabolic disorders have been well studied in various cancers, their relationship with KS remains unclear.

Methods

This study used a cohort approach with adults without AIDS, utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Service in South Korea. This study examined various conventional cancer-related risk factors related to the incidence of KS, including psoriasis.

Results

Alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and regular exercise were not significantly associated with the incidence of KS. Additionally, older age and male sex were associated with a higher incidence of KS. KS risk was increased in pathological conditions such as psoriasis and proteinuria, which require immunosuppressive medication.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that traditional cancer-related risk factors may not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of KS, unlike other cancers. This, in turn, emphasizes the importance of immunosuppression and HHV-8 infection in the development of KS.