African Kaposi's Sarcoma Research Articles

Antibody profiling and predictive modeling discriminate between Kaposi sarcoma and asymptomatic KSHV infection.

Protein-level immunodominance patterns against Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the aetiologic agent of Kaposi sarcoma (KS), have been revealed from serological probing of whole protein arrays, however, the epitopes that underlie these patterns have not been defined. We recently demonstrated the utility of phage display in high-resolution linear epitope mapping of the KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA/ORF73). Here, a VirScan phage immunoprecipitation and sequencing approach, employing a library of 1,988 KSHV proteome-derived peptides, was used to quantify the breadth and magnitude of responses of 59 sub-Saharan African KS patients and 22 KSHV-infected asymptomatic individuals (ASY), and ultimately to support an application of machine-learning-based predictive modeling using the peptide-level responses. Comparing anti-KSHV antibody repertoire revealed that magnitude, not breadth, increased in KS. The most targeted epitopes in both KS and ASY were in the immunodominant proteins, notably, K8.129-56 and ORF65140-168, in addition to LANA. Finally, using unbiased machine-learning-based predictive models, reactivity to a subset of 25 discriminative peptides was demonstrated to successfully classify KS patients from asymptomatic individuals. Our study provides the highest resolution mapping of antigenicity across the entire KSHV proteome to date, which is vital to discern mechanisms of viral pathogenesis, to define prognostic biomarkers, and to design effective vaccine and therapeutic strategies. Future studies will investigate the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential of the 25 discriminative peptides.

Antibody epitope profiling of the KSHV LANA protein using VirScan.

The humoral antibody response against Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in infected individuals has been characterized demonstrating the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) as the most antigenic KSHV protein. Despite the antigenicity of the protein, specific LANA epitopes have not been systematically characterized. Here, we utilized a bacteriophage T7 library, which displays 56-amino acid KSHV LANA peptides with 28-amino acid overlap (VirScan), to define those epitopes in LANA targeted by antibodies from a cohort of 62 sub-Saharan African Kaposi sarcoma (KS) patients and 22 KSHV-infected asymptomatic controls. Intra- and inter-patient breadth and magnitude of the anti-LANA responses were quantified at the peptide and amino acid levels. From these data, we derived a detailed epitope annotation of the entire LANA protein, with a high-resolution focus on the N- and C-termini. Overall, the central repeat region was highly antigenic, but the responses to this region could not be confidently mapped due to its high variability. The highly conserved N-terminus was targeted with low breadth and magnitude. In a minority of individuals, antibodies specific to the nuclear localization sequence and a portion of the proline-rich regions of the N-terminus were evident. In contrast, the first half of the conserved C-terminal domain was consistently targeted with high magnitude. Unfortunately, this region was not included in LANA partial C-terminal crystal structures, however, it was predicted to adopt predominantly random-coil structure. Coupled with functional and secondary structure domain predictions, VirScan revealed fine resolution epitope mapping of the N- and C-terminal domains of LANA that is consistent with previous antigenicity studies and may prove useful to correlate KSHV humoral immunity with pathogenesis.

Whole-genome sequencing of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV8) reveals evidence for two African lineages

Kaposi sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) was first sequenced from the body cavity (BC) lymphoma cell line, BC-1, in 1996. Few other KSHV genomes have been reported. Our knowledge of sequence variation for this virus remains spotty. This study reports additional genomes from historical US patient samples and from African KS biopsies. It describes an assay that spans regions of the virus that cannot be covered by short read sequencing. These include the terminal repeats, the LANA repeats, and the origins of replication. A phylogenetic analysis, based on 107 genomes, identified three distinct clades; one containing isolates from USA/Europe/Japan collected in the 1990s and two of Sub-Saharan Africa isolates collected since 2010. This analysis indicates that the KSHV strains circulating today differ from the isolates collected at the height of the AIDS epidemic. This analysis helps experimental designs and potential vaccine studies.

Malignant Cutaneous Tumors

This chapter reviews the most common malignant cutaneous tumors. The section on malignant tumors of the epidermis discusses nonmelanoma skin cancer (i.e., basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and malignant melanoma. The section on malignant tumors of the dermis covers metastatic tumors, primary tumors (Merkel cell carcinoma, Paget disease, extramammary Paget disease, angiosarcoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans), and Kaposi sarcoma (i.e., classic Kaposi sarcoma, African Kaposi sarcoma, organ-transplant Kaposi sarcoma, and HIV-associated Kaposi sarcoma). The final section covers cutaneous lymphomas. The coverage of each disease includes a discussion of epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Tables provide the adjusted estimated relative risks of melanoma by nevus type and number, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification and staging system, the estimated probability of 10-year survival in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, and an overview of overview of therapy for cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Figures illustrate the presentation of many malignant cutaneous tumors. This review contains 10 highly rendered figures, 5 tables, and 105 references.

Malignant Cutaneous Tumors

This chapter reviews the most common malignant cutaneous tumors. The section on malignant tumors of the epidermis discusses nonmelanoma skin cancer (i.e., basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and malignant melanoma. The section on malignant tumors of the dermis covers metastatic tumors, primary tumors (Merkel cell carcinoma, Paget disease, extramammary Paget disease, angiosarcoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans), and Kaposi sarcoma (i.e., classic Kaposi sarcoma, African Kaposi sarcoma, organ-transplant Kaposi sarcoma, and HIV-associated Kaposi sarcoma). The final section covers cutaneous lymphomas. The coverage of each disease includes a discussion of epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Tables provide the adjusted estimated relative risks of melanoma by nevus type and number, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification and staging system, the estimated probability of 10-year survival in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, and an overview of overview of therapy for cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Figures illustrate the presentation of many malignant cutaneous tumors. This review contains 10 highly rendered figures, 5 tables, and 105 references.

Malignant Cutaneous Tumors

This chapter reviews the most common malignant cutaneous tumors. The section on malignant tumors of the epidermis discusses nonmelanoma skin cancer (i.e., basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and malignant melanoma. The section on malignant tumors of the dermis covers metastatic tumors, primary tumors (Merkel cell carcinoma, Paget disease, extramammary Paget disease, angiosarcoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans), and Kaposi sarcoma (i.e., classic Kaposi sarcoma, African Kaposi sarcoma, organ-transplant Kaposi sarcoma, and HIV-associated Kaposi sarcoma). The final section covers cutaneous lymphomas. The coverage of each disease includes a discussion of epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Tables provide the adjusted estimated relative risks of melanoma by nevus type and number, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification and staging system, the estimated probability of 10-year survival in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, and an overview of overview of therapy for cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Figures illustrate the presentation of many malignant cutaneous tumors. This review contains 10 highly rendered figures, 5 tables, and 105 references.

Sarcoma de Kaposi lingual. Rara variante en paciente VIH positivo. A propósito de un caso.

Kaposi's sarcoma is a vascular lesion of intermediate-grade malignant potential affecting skin, mucosa, lymph nodes, and viscera. Four clinical variants have been recognized: classic, African Kaposi sarcoma, immunosuppression-associated Kaposi sarcoma and AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma. Human herpes virus type 8 is implicated as the etiological agent in all of them. We present a 39-year-old man with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis under treatment, and two months of evolution HIV / AIDS, with a lympangiomatous Kaposi sarcoma in an atypical location. Keywords: Kaposi's sarcoma; HIV; HHV-8; vascular neoplasia; lymphangioma-like Kaposi sarcoma.

Sarcoma de Kaposi y angiosarcoma cutáneo: directrices para el diagnóstico y tratamiento

Kaposi sarcoma is a vascular sarcoma with 4 clinical variants: classic Kaposi sarcoma, which mainly affect the extremities of elderly patients and follows a chronic, generally indolent course; African Kaposi sarcoma; immunosuppression-associated Kaposi sarcoma; and AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma. Type8 human herpesvirus is the etiologic agent in all 4variants. Cutaneous angiosarcoma is a cutaneous neoplasm with a very poor prognosis. It carries a high probability of local relapse and has a 10% to 15% survival rate at 5years. There are 3 main variants of cutaneous angiosarcoma: idiopathic angiosarcoma of the face and scalp; Stewart-Treves syndrome; and postradiation angiosarcoma. The only potentially curative treatment is surgery with or without radiotherapy. However, its indistinct borders and multicentric nature mean that treatment is often palliative with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both.

RNA-Seq of Kaposi's sarcoma reveals alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism.

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). It is endemic in a number of sub-Saharan African countries with infection rate of >50%. The high prevalence of HIV-1 coupled with late presentation of advanced cancer staging make KS the leading cancer in the region with poor prognosis and high mortality. Disease markers and cellular functions associated with KS tumorigenesis remain ill-defined. Several studies have attempted to investigate changes of the gene profile with in vitro infection of monoculture models, which are not likely to reflect the cellular complexity of the in vivo lesion environment. Our approach is to characterize and compare the gene expression profile in KS lesions versus non-cancer tissues from the same individual. Such comparisons could identify pathways critical for KS formation and maintenance. This is the first study that utilized high throughput RNA-seq to characterize the viral and cellular transcriptome in tumor and non-cancer biopsies of African epidemic KS patients. These patients were treated anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable HIV-1 plasma viral load. We found remarkable variability in the viral transcriptome among these patients, with viral latency and immune modulation genes most abundantly expressed. The presence of KSHV also significantly affected the cellular transcriptome profile. Specifically, genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism disorder pathways were substantially affected. Moreover, infiltration of immune cells into the tumor did not prevent KS formation, suggesting some functional deficits of these cells. Lastly, we found only minimal overlaps between our in vivo cellular transcriptome dataset with those from in vitro studies, reflecting the limitation of in vitro models in representing tumor lesions. These findings could lead to the identification of diagnostic and therapeutic markers for KS, and will provide bases for further mechanistic studies on the functions of both viral and cellular genes that are involved.

Localized Kaposi Sarcoma

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a lymphoangio-proliferative disease often caused by KS associated herpes virus, also known as human herpes virus 8. There are 4 known variants of KS: Epidemic or AIDS-associated KS, Endemic or African KS, iatrogenic post transplantation KS and Mediterranean or classic KS (CKS). We report a case of CKS treated successfully by radiation therapy.

A case of disseminated cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma in an immunocompetent patient

Background Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a tumor derived from the endothelial cell lineage caused by Kaposi sarcomaassociated virus (KSHV), also known as human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8). Four subtypes of KS have been described: classical KS, African endemic KS, immunosuppression-associated KS and AIDS-associated KS. Over 95% of the lesions have been found to be infected with HHV-8, regardless of the clinical subtype. Classical KS usually occurs in elderly men from the Mediterranean region. It is a chronic, slowly progressing disorder, usually confined to the skin, which only rarely affects other organs.

African Kaposi's sarcoma in the light of global AIDS: antiblackness and viral visibility.

Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of antiblackness and intersectionality and the concept of viral visibility, this essay attends to the considerable archive of research about endemic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in sub-Saharan Africa accrued during the mid-20th century. This body of data was inexplicably overlooked in Western research into KS during the first decade of the AIDS epidemic, during which period European and Mediterranean KS cases were most often cited as precedents despite the volume of African data available. This paper returns to the research on KS conducted in Africa during the colonial and postcolonial period to consider visibility, racial erasure, and discourses of global epidemiology, suggesting that the dynamics of medical research on HIV/AIDS have proceeded according to a tacit paradigm of antiblackness manifest in multiple exclusions of Africa from global health agendas--most recently the exclusion of the region from antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapy during the first decades of the treatment's availability. During that decade KS all but disappeared among people with access to ARV therapy while KS became even more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, escalating along with HIV.

Kaposi's sarcoma: a population-based cancer registry descriptive study of 57 consecutive cases diagnosed between 1977 and 2009.

There are few epidemiological data available on rare skin cancer, including Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), which is a multifocal illness affecting the skin, mucosa, and viscera. Four different types of KS have been described: classic, AIDS-associated, iatrogenic, and African. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology and evolution of the different types of KS in the Doubs region of France. A retrospective population-based study was conducted, including 57 patients with KS from the Doubs region between 1977 and 2009. These patients were identified by the tumor registry of the Doubs region. A larger proportion of AIDS-associated KS (61%) was observed compared to classic KS (30%) and iatrogenic KS (9%). No cases of African KS were observed. Most new cases were observed between 1987 and 1996 due to the AIDS explosion. The patients were predominantly male, with a male/female ratio at 10 : 4 (34 for AIDS-associated KS). The mean age of patients was 50.2 (higher in classic and iatrogenic KS and lower in AIDS-associated KS). Mucosal and visceral forms were more common in AIDS-associated KS, explaining the higher rate of mortality due to KS (21%). KS, which used to be a rare illness, as it existed only in the classic form, has become more common since the appearance of HIV and, to a lesser extent, of immunosuppressive treatment.

Kaposi Sarcoma

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a low-grade vascular tumor associated with Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV/HHV8) infection. Kaposi sarcoma lesions predominantly present at mucocutaneous sites, but may involve all organs and anatomic locations. Recognized epidemiologic-clinical forms of KS include classic, African (endemic), AIDS-associated (epidemic), and iatrogenic KS. New clinical manifestations have been described, such as antiretroviral therapy-related KS regression or flares. Kaposi sarcoma lesions evolve from early (patch stage) macules into plaques (plaque stage) that grow into larger nodules (tumor stage). Newer histologic variants include anaplastic, hyperkeratotic, lymphangioma-like, bullous, telangiectatic, ecchymotic, keloidal, pyogenic granuloma-like, micronodular, intravascular, glomeruloid and pigmented KS, as well as KS with sarcoidlike granulomas and KS with myoid nodules. Latency-associated nuclear antigen (HHV8) is the most specific immunohistochemical marker available to help distinguish KS from its mimics. Since KS remains one of the most common AIDS-defining malignancies, it is important that pathologists be able to recognize KS and its contemporary manifestations.

Kaposi's Sarcoma: Imaging Overview

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), a low-grade malignancy that is associated with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), is a multifocal tumor that most commonly affects mucocutaneous sites. It might also involve lymph nodes and visceral organs, in particular of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, but it can affect every organ system. Four forms of the disease have been recognized: the classic, the endemic, the transplant-associated, and the epidemic form. The endemic form, or African KS, currently accounts for 10%-50% of all cancers in adults and up to 25% of cancers in children in certain parts of Africa. The epidemic form or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated KS is a frequent neoplasm in bisexual and homosexual men with AIDS in the United States. Even though in North America and Europe the incidence of KS in men with AIDS has decreased significantly after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in some developing countries, the incidence of KS keeps growing. The pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, imaging findings, and more relevant differential diagnoses are reviewed.

Increased prevalence of Kaposi΄s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in the Kaposi΄s sarcoma-endemic area of Western Kenya in 1981–2000

Kaposi΄s sarcoma (KS) had been endemic in Africa before the appearance of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) in 1985. Incidence of African KS has increased over the time and the risk of contracting KS become greater in HIV-positive as opposed to HIV-negative individuals. KS specimens were collected in 1981-2000 from 228 surgical cases originating from a KS-endemic area of Western Kenya and examined for Kaposi΄s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) by an immunoperoxidase assay. The results showed that the specimens from 1981-1985 (before the HIV epidemic) were KSHV-positive in 10.3% in contrast to the KSHV positivity of 50.1-63.5% in 1986-2000. The linear increase of KSHV positivity in 1981-2000 was statistically significant. The most plausible explanation for the increased prevalence of KSHV in KS cases is that the endemic KS has changed to the epidemic one.

A comparative study of the frequency of antibody and titers against human herpesvirus 8 latent and lytic antigens in “at‐risk” individuals and among patients with Kaposi's sarcoma

Differences in the prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) have been described, depending on the study population and their geographic origin. A cross- sectional study aimed at detecting the frequency and titers of antibodies against HHV-8 latent and lytic antigens in serum samples from individuals with different risk-factors for HHV-8 infection, as well as predictive marker identification in patients with KS, was conducted. Serum samples were collected from seven groups of individuals: 75 patients with AIDS-KS, 5 with classic KS, 16 with African KS, 495 with HIV/AIDS, 805 patients with chronic kidney disease, 683 handicapped individuals, and 757 health care workers. Samples were evaluated for the presence and titers of HHV-8-specific antibodies to latent and lytic antigens using "in house" immunofluorescence assays. The results were analyzed by the Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis and/or Mann-Whitney U-tests. The frequencies of HHV-8 antibodies were as follows: 87.5-100% in patients with KS, 20.4% in patients with HIV/AIDS, 18% in patients with chronic kidney disease, 1.6% in handicapped individuals, and 1.1% in health care workers. A greater number of samples were antibody positive to lytic antigens. Elevated titers of antibodies to latent and lytic antigens, mostly among patients with KS, were detected. Using established serological assays, different "at-risk" populations for HHV-8 infection/disease were detected in this geographic area, confirming HIV/AIDS and identifying patients with chronic kidney disease as high-risk groups. It is suggested that a longitudinal evaluation of antibody titers in patients with chronic kidney disease be undertaken to confirm their predictive value in the development of KS.

African Kaposi Sarcoma – Florid Lesions in a Nigerian Male in South Eastern Equatorial Rain Forest: A Case Report.

Endemic African Kaposi sarcoma is a clinically and epidemiologically distinct human immunodeficiency virus negative form of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) occurring in Africa. This condition runs a variable clinical course ranging from minimal-florid cutaneous disease to extensive organ involvement. We present this seronegetive patient with peculiar and striking florid chemo-sensitive cutaneous lesions with good response in patient performance post chemotherapy. Kaposi sarcoma is chemo-sensitive and should be offered to patients as cutaneous KS lesions may be disfiguring and often generate significant psychological distress. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 50 (3&4) 2006: pp. 72-76

KSHV Latency in Transformed B-cells: The Role of LANA1 as a Therapeutic Target

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) was originally described in 1872 by the Hungarian dermatologist Moritz Kaposi as an idiopathic, multiple pigmented sarcoma of the skin. This type of KS, later classifi ed as classic KS, predominantly occurred in elderly people, particularly men of Mediterranean, Eastern European, or Jewish descent. A high occurrence of African or endemic KS was reported during the early 1950’s in equatorial African countries, while during the 1960’s KS emerged among immune-suppressed patients following organ transplantation. A tremendous increase in the incidence of KS was noticed during the early 1980’s in parallel with the acquired immunodefi ciency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, leading to a formal recognition of KS as an AIDS-associated malignancy. The geographic variations in the incidence of KS together with the relatively high occurrence of AIDS-KS, particularly among homosexual men, suggested the existence of a unique KS infectious agent (7, 8). In 1994 Chang and colleagues, amplifi ed two novel DNA sequences from an AIDS-associated KS lesion, by using a subtractive hybridization technique (representational difference analysis (RDA)). These sequences displayed homology to herpesviral capsid and tegument genes and led to the complete sequencing of the 165 Kbp viral genome of the newly discovered virus, Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) or human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). KSHV was established as being present in virtually all pathologically confi rmed KS specimens (11, 12). Treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been associated with a dramatic decline in the incidence of KS (31), so that AIDS-associated KS is uncommon overall in the Western world. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of infection (due mostly to the high rates of AIDS) with many countries experiencing sera-prevalence rates exceeding 60%, so that in certain African countries it is now the most common cancer in adult men, and the second most common in adult women (44). The incidence of KS among transplant recipients is proportional to the ethno-geographical prevalence of KSHV, ranging from 0.5% in most Western countries to 5.3% in Saudi Arabia (50). In addition to KS, which is a tumour of endothelial cell origin, several haematological predominantly B cell disorders are also associated with KSHV. The two most well characterized are AIDS-associated primary effusion lymphomas (PEL) and a subset of multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD), an aggressive lymphoproliferative disorder. PELs are monoclonal, non-Hodgkin’s B cell lymphomas that are commonly co-infected with EBV. Cell lines established from PEL, unlike KS tumour explants, stably maintain viral episomes at high copy number (30–150 copies per cell) and are the source of virus for most virologic and serologic studies. Most studies on latency of gammaherpesviruses (EBV) used lymphoblastoid cell lines that were derived from lymphomas or were established by in vitro infection/immortalization of peripheral blood lymphocytes. In vitro immortalized cells lines can be cultured indefi nitely. PEL cell lines that carry latent KSHV have been successfully established, although no in vitro immortalization of B lymphocytes has been reported yet (10, 44). KSHV viral genome consists of a ∼140kb long unique coding region fl anked by a multiple GC rich ∼800bp TRs (terminal repeats) giving a total estimated size of around 170kb (57, 60). In analogy

Major Dermatologic Malignancies Encountered in a Teaching Hospital Surgical Department in South Nigeria

Dermatologic malignancies are among the most common form of cancer. However, dark-skinned individuals of African descent are said to be far less likely than fair-skinned individuals to develop skin cancer. Significant differences in the pattern of skin malignancy have also been observed in different regions of Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern, site incidence, and outcome of treatment of major histologically diagnosed dermatologic malignancies encountered in a teaching hospital surgical department in South Nigeria. We evaluated patients with histologic diagnoses of major dermatologic malignancies that presented to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria between January 2000 and December 2004 and compared our findings with the total number of patients diagnosed with malignancies at the same hospital over the same period. This hospital is located in South Nigeria. There were 63 histologically diagnosed dermatologic cancers, comprising 10% of all histologically diagnosed cancers at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital during the study period. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was the most common (n = 23; 37%), followed by Kaposi sarcoma (KS) [n = 17; 27%]. Other malignancies included basal cell carcinoma (BCC), melanoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) [n = 5; 8% each]. The peak age varied with the type of cancer but none was found in patients in the first decade of life. The lower limb was the most frequent site of SCC (Marjolin ulcer), KS, and melanoma, while BCC was most common on the head, neck, and upper limb. Excision surgery resulted in healing of all cases of BCC. Some patients with SCC and melanoma presented late for curative surgery. Some African KS tumors were chemosensitive. There was a high recurrence rate for DFSP. This study revealed a similar pattern of dermatologic malignancies in South Nigeria compared with other parts of Africa but also some regional differences (e.g. in Kano, melanoma ranked second). The pattern was, however, in sharp contrast to that seen with Caucasian populations, in whom 80% of the lesions are BCC and 20% are SCC. Public education, implementation of preventive strategies, and early presentation of disease would improve outcomes of dermatologic malignancies in Nigeria.