The incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in 1976-90 was assessed in Italy, taking advantage of a network of nine population-based cancer registries covering, at its maximum, approximately 5.6 million subjects.

The first examined period (1976-84) substantially reflects the epidemiology of KS prior to the AIDS epidemic in the registration areas.

Elevated incidence rates, standardised to the Italian population of 1981, of 1.05/100,000 men and 0.27/100,000 women emerged in 1976-84.

(i.e. from two- to threefold higher than in the USA and Sweden, more than tenfold higher than in England and Wales).