Kaposi’s Sarcoma
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Description
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What is Kaposi’s sarcoma?
Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found
in the tissues under the skin or mucous membranes that line the mouth, nose,
and anus. KS causes red or purple patches (lesions) on the skin and/or mucous
membranes and spreads to other organs in the body, such as the lungs, liver, or
intestinal tract.
Until the early 1980’s, Kaposi’s sarcoma was a very rare disease that was found
mainly in older men, patients who had organ transplants, or African men. With
the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in the early 1980’s,
doctors began to notice more cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma in Africa and in gay men
with AIDS. Kaposi’s sarcoma usually spreads more quickly in these patients.
If there are signs of KS, a doctor will examine the skin and lymph nodes
carefully (lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures that are found
throughout the body; they produce and store infection-fighting cells). The
doctor also may order other tests to see if the patient has other diseases.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on what type of Kaposi’s sarcoma the
patient has, the patient’s age and general health, and whether or not the
patient has AIDS.
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Stage Explanation
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Stages of Kaposi’s sarcoma
There is no accepted staging system for Kaposi’s sarcoma. Patients are grouped
depending on which type of Kaposi’s sarcoma they have. There are three types
of Kaposi’s sarcoma:
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Classic
Classic Kaposi’s sarcoma usually occurs in older men of Jewish, Italian, or
Mediterranean heritage. This type of Kaposi’s sarcoma progresses slowly,
sometimes over 10 to 15 years. As the disease gets worse, the lower legs may
swell and the blood may not be able to flow properly. After some time, the
disease may spread to other organs. Many patients with classic Kaposi’s
sarcoma may develop another type of cancer later on in their lives.
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Immunosuppressive treatment related
Kaposi’s sarcoma may occur in people who are taking drugs to make their immune
systems weaker (immunosuppressants). The immune system helps the body fight
off infection. People who have had an organ transplant (such as a liver or
kidney transplant) have to take drugs to prevent their immune system from
attacking the new organ.
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Epidemic
Kaposi’s sarcoma in patients who have Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
is called epidemic Kaposi’s sarcoma. AIDS is caused by a virus called the
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which attacks and weakens the immune
system. Infections and other diseases can then invade the body, and the immune
system cannot fight against them. Kaposi’s sarcoma in people with AIDS usually
spreads more quickly than other kinds of Kaposi’s sarcoma and often is found in
many parts of the body.
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Recurrent
Recurrent disease means that the KS has come back (recurred) after it has been
treated. It may come back in the area where it first started or in another
part of the body.
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Treatment Option Overview
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How Kaposi’s sarcoma is treated
There are treatments for all patients with Kaposi’s sarcoma. Four kinds of
treatment are used:
- Surgery (taking out the cancer).
- Chemotherapy (using drugs to kill cancer cells).
- Radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays to kill cancer cells).
- Biological therapy (using the body’s immune system to fight cancer).
Radiation therapy is a common treatment of Kaposi’s sarcoma. Radiation therapy
uses high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink
tumors. Radiation for Kaposi’s sarcoma comes from a machine outside the body
(external beam radiation therapy).
Surgery means taking out the cancer. A doctor may remove the cancer using one
of the following:
- Local excision cuts out the lesion and some of the tissue around it.
- Electrodesiccation and curettage burns the lesion and removes it with a sharp
instrument.
- Cryotherapy freezes the tumor and kills it.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by
pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle.
Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the
bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the
original site. Chemotherapy for Kaposi’s sarcoma also may be injected into the
lesion (intralesional chemotherapy).
Biological therapy tries to get the body to fight the cancer. It uses
materials made by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore
the body’s natural defenses against disease. Biological therapy is sometimes
called biological response modifier (BRM) therapy or immunotherapy.
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Treatment by stage
Treatment of Kaposi’s sarcoma depends on the type of Kaposi’s sarcoma the
patient has, and the patient’s age and general health.
Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients
in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not
all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may
have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons, clinical trials
are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the
most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in most parts of the
country for most stages of Kaposi’s sarcoma. To learn more about clinical
trials, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237);
TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
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Classic Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Treatment may be one of the following:
- Radiation therapy.
- Local excision.
- Systemic or intralesional chemotherapy.
- Chemotherapy plus radiation therapy.
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Immunosuppressive Treatment Related Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Depending on the patient’s condition, the cancer may be controlled if
immunosuppressive drugs are stopped. If the patient cannot stop taking these
drugs or if this does not work, treatment may be one of the following:
- Radiation therapy.
- A clinical trial of chemotherapy.
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Epidemic Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Treatment may be one of the following:
- Surgery (local excision, electrodesiccation and curettage, or
cryotherapy) with or without radiation therapy.
- Systemic chemotherapy. Clinical trials are testing new drugs and drug
combinations.
- Biological therapy.
- A clinical trial evaluating new treatments.
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Recurrent Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Treatment of recurrent Kaposi’s sarcoma depends on the type of Kaposi’s
sarcoma, and the patient’s general health and response to earlier treatments.
The patient may want to take part in a clinical trial.
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Changes to This Summary (06/06/2003)
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Editorial changes were made to this summary.
This information is provided from the PDQ® database in collaboration with the NCI.
