What Is Kaposi Sarcoma?

A cancer developing in cells lining your lymph or blood vessels, Kaposi sarcoma usually appears as tumors in your mouth, on skin or on other parts of your body. Some Kaposi sarcoma tumors grow in the lymph nodes, lungs or digestive tract.

Kaposi sarcoma causes brown, purple or red blotches on the skin, called lesions. These painful-looking lesions usually appear on the face and legs. But these spots usually cause no pain or symptoms of any kind, with the exception of those appearing around the groin or on legs. Painful swelling of feet sometimes occurs with these lower body KS spots.

The most dangerous Kaposi sarcoma lesions are those appearing in the lungs, digestive tract or liver. Lung lesions cause breathing problems, whereas those in the digestive tract cause bleeding.

Types of Kaposi Sarcoma

Who suffers the Kaposi sarcoma determines its classification, as KS is classified according to population. These types of Kaposi sarcoma act very similarly to one another.

Types of Kaposi sarcoma include:

• AIDS-related or epidemic Kaposi sarcoma, in the U.S. usually affecting people with HIV and changing the HIV diagnosis to active AIDS
• Mediterranean or classic Kaposi sarcoma, occurring in older adults of Mediterranean, Eastern European and Middle Eastern descent
• African or endemic Kaposi sarcoma, a quickly progressing KS affecting people living in equatorial Africa
• Iatrogenic (transplant-related) Kaposi sarcoma, after organ transplant as the patient requires immunity suppressing medications
• Kaposi sarcoma in HIV negative men who have sex with men

Treating Kaposi Sarcoma

Your immune system functioning and the Kaposi’s sarcoma lesions’ number, size and location determine your best treatment options. Your overall health also plays a role in which treatment best suits your needs. If you suffer immune system problems, keeping your immune system healthy is top priority. Treatment options for Kaposi sarcoma include:

• Clinical trials
• Local therapy, such as surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy

Some people benefit most from a combination of two or more types of treatment used together. Your doctor presents your best options and discusses them with you, toward your treatment plan development. Doctors have learned a great deal about Kaposi sarcoma since an increase in occurrence of this type of cancer as part of the 1980s AIDS epidemic.