Kaposi's sarcoma of the palate in a patient with AIDS: an unusual presentation

Kaposi's sarcoma, formerly a rare tumour in the western world, is now found frequently in homosexual patients with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A common site of occurrence is the mouth. The characteristic intra-oral appearance of the lesion is of a flat or raised pigmented lesion. An intra-oral Kaposi's sarcoma which was not pigmented and which presented as a painless, soft swelling on the hard palate is reported. The unusual appearance of the lesion is described and the importance of accurate diagnosis of intra-oral lesions in patients with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is emphasized.