Next Article in Journal
Refracture and Mortality Following Surgical Management of Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Patient-Level Survival Modeling
Next Article in Special Issue
Intralesional Corticosteroid Injections in the Treatment of Oral Lichen Planus—A Narrative Review
Previous Article in Journal
Tooth Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Burden in Myocardial Infarction Patients
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
JCM
Volume 14
Issue 22
10.3390/jcm14228228
jcm-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Case Report

Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma of the Oral Cavity in an Adult Woman: A Case Report

by
Martina Caputo
1,*,
Gaspare Palaia
2,
Daniele Pergolini
2,
Alessandra Putrino
1,
Amelia Bellisario
2,
Gianluca Tenore
2,
Federica Rocchetti
2,
Angela Galeotti
1,3,
Cira Rosaria Tiziana Di Gioia
4 and
Umberto Romeo
2
1
Dentistry Unit, Management Innovations, Diagnostics and Clinical Pathways, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
2
Department of Oral Sciences and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
3
U.N.-E.U. International Research Project on Human Health, Oral Health Section, 1200 Geneva, Switzerland
4
Department of Radiology, Oncology and Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(22), 8228; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14228228
Submission received: 4 September 2025 / Revised: 19 October 2025 / Accepted: 15 November 2025 / Published: 20 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Paradigms, Advances and Future Directions in Oral Medicine)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare, locally aggressive vascular tumor that shares histological features with Kaposi’s sarcoma. It usually occurs in infancy or early childhood and is seldom reported in adults. The most common sites are the skin and retroperitoneum, whereas the head, neck, and mediastinum are less frequently involved. KHE rarely regresses spontaneously, and metastasis is uncommon, but up to 70% of cases may develop Kasabach–Merritt Syndrome (KMS), a life-threatening coagulopathy. Here, we present an unusual case of KHE in an adult patient, emphasizing the importance of early recognition and management. Methods: A 39-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus presented with an exophytic lesion in the left retromolar region. Clinical and radiological evaluations were followed by both incisional and excisional biopsies. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed, and surgical resection with wide margins was undertaken according to recommendations from a multidisciplinary tumor board. Results: Histology revealed spindle cell clusters, slit-like vascular spaces, endothelial cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, and immunopositivity for CD31, CD34, and smooth muscle actin, confirming the diagnosis of KHE. Given the tumor’s locally aggressive behavior and potential risk of KMS, extended surgical excision was performed. Conclusions: This case underscores the diagnostic challenges of KHE in adults and highlights the essential role of histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and multidisciplinary evaluation. Prompt diagnosis and radical surgical management are critical to preventing complications and improving patient outcomes.
Keywords: vascular tumors; kaposiform hemangioendothelioma; Kasabach–Merritt Syndrome vascular tumors; kaposiform hemangioendothelioma; Kasabach–Merritt Syndrome

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Caputo, M.; Palaia, G.; Pergolini, D.; Putrino, A.; Bellisario, A.; Tenore, G.; Rocchetti, F.; Galeotti, A.; Di Gioia, C.R.T.; Romeo, U. Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma of the Oral Cavity in an Adult Woman: A Case Report. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 8228. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14228228

AMA Style

Caputo M, Palaia G, Pergolini D, Putrino A, Bellisario A, Tenore G, Rocchetti F, Galeotti A, Di Gioia CRT, Romeo U. Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma of the Oral Cavity in an Adult Woman: A Case Report. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(22):8228. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14228228

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caputo, Martina, Gaspare Palaia, Daniele Pergolini, Alessandra Putrino, Amelia Bellisario, Gianluca Tenore, Federica Rocchetti, Angela Galeotti, Cira Rosaria Tiziana Di Gioia, and Umberto Romeo. 2025. "Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma of the Oral Cavity in an Adult Woman: A Case Report" Journal of Clinical Medicine 14, no. 22: 8228. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14228228

APA Style

Caputo, M., Palaia, G., Pergolini, D., Putrino, A., Bellisario, A., Tenore, G., Rocchetti, F., Galeotti, A., Di Gioia, C. R. T., & Romeo, U. (2025). Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma of the Oral Cavity in an Adult Woman: A Case Report. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(22), 8228. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14228228

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop