What is Kaposi Sarcoma (KS)

Kaposi sarcoma is a type of cancer that creates tumors in the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and other organs. It usually develops as skin growths (lesions).

KS most often occurs in people who have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). It is rare in people who do not have HIV.

If you have HIV and you develop Kaposi sarcoma, it means you have an advanced form of the infection, known as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). KS can also spread to:

• The lymph nodes.
• The lungs.
• The liver.
• The digestive system.

What are the causes?

This condition is caused by a type of herpes virus called Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpes virus. It starts as a viral infection. In people with a weak immune system, this virus infects cells in the lining of blood and lymph vessels.

The KS virus can change your cells in a way that causes them to become cancer cells. Once they become cancer cells, these cells start to divide too quickly, and the weakened immune system is unable to stop the rapid cell division.

What increases the risk?

You are more likely to develop this condition if:

• You are a man. KS is especially common among elderly men of Eastern European descent and young men in Africa.
• You are a man who has sex with other men.
• You have a weakened immune system from HIV or another disease, and you become infected with the KS virus.
• You take medicines to suppress your immune system during and after an organ transplant.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include skin lesions. These are often the first sign of KS.

The lesions:

• May be purple, red, or brown.
• May be flat or bumpy.
• Are not itchy or painful.
• Usually appear on the face or legs. Lesions on the legs and feet may cause swelling.
• May appear inside your mouth or near your eyes.
• Can develop in your lungs. This can make it hard to breathe. It may also cause a cough, with mucus that contains blood.
• Can develop in your digestive system, which may cause:
  • Pain in the abdomen.
  • Internal bleeding.
  • Stools that are dark, tarry, or bloody.

How is this diagnosed?

Diagnosis

This condition may be diagnosed based on:

• Biopsy results. A biopsy is a small piece of the lesion that is checked under a microscope.
• Other tests to check your lungs and digestive system for KS. These may include:
  • A chest X-ray.
  • Passing a short, flexible tube with a camera:
    • Down into your lungs (bronchoscopy).
    • Down into your stomach and upper intestine (endoscopy).
    • Through your anus into your large intestine (colonoscopy).

Staging

Diagnosis involves staging the cancer. Staging determines what treatment will be used and what the likely outcome of that treatment will be. For KS related to AIDS, the staging system includes:

• Type, location, or spread of lesions.
• Number of white blood cells called helper T cells (CD4 cell count).
• Overall health. This is based on whether you have:
  • Other infections.
  • Fever.
  • Night sweats.
  • Weight loss.
  • Diarrhea.
  • The ability to maintain self-care.

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition depends on the stage of your KS. It is also important to keep treating the HIV infection, if present. Your treatment may include:

• Medicines for the lesions.
• Removing skin lesions with surgery.
• Treating skin lesions with cold therapy (cryotherapy).
• Using cancer-killing medicines (chemotherapy).
• Using medicines to help your immune system fight KS (immunotherapy).
• Using high-energy rays to kill cancer cells (radiation therapy).

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.

General instructions

• Work closely with your health care provider. If you have AIDS-related KS, treatment with medicines to manage HIV/AIDS may help to keep KS from progressing.
• Talk to your health care provider or dietitian about nutrition. Good nutrition is an important part of improving your health.
• Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your symptoms get worse or come back after treatment.
• You have vomiting or diarrhea that does not get better.
• You have trouble swallowing.
• You have a fever or chills.

Get help right away if:

• You have trouble breathing.
• You cough up blood.
• You have heavy bleeding while passing stool.

Summary

• Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a type of cancer that creates tumors in the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and other organs. It most commonly develops as skin growths (lesions).
• KS most often occurs in people who have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).
• KS is caused by a type of herpes virus called Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpes virus. This virus changes your cells in a way that causes them to become cancer cells.
• Diagnosis involves blood tests, imaging, biopsies, and staging. Staging determines what treatment will be used and what the likely outcome of that treatment will be.
• Treatment for this condition depends on the stage of your KS, but it includes continuing to treat your HIV infection, if present.