The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ECT on HHV8 viral load and the role of HHV8 latent (ORF72 and ORF73) and lytic (K2, K8, K8.1, K10/K10.1, K10.5/K10.6 and ORF16) gene expression in tumour biopsies and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients affected by classic KS with different response to ECT. This evidence concerns the gene KRT81 and Kaposi's sarcoma.