Aids Patients Often Develop Which Skin Malignancy?

Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare type of cancer acquired past a virus.

It affects the pare and mouth, and sometimes the internal organs.

Who's affected

Kaposi'southward sarcoma is mostly seen in people with an avant-garde HIV infection.

It can also affect people who have a weakened immune arrangement for another reason, such as after having an organ transplant.

People with a genetic vulnerability to the virus that causes Kaposi's sarcoma – the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-viii) – are also at take a chance.

Symptoms of Kaposi's sarcoma

Pare lesions

Close-up photo of a purple lesion on white skin — The chief symptom of Kaposi'due south sarcoma is red or purple skin lesions that look like bruises

These are small, painless, discoloured patches on the skin or inside the rima oris. Over fourth dimension, they may grow into lumps (nodules) and merge into each other.

Other symptoms

Sometimes internal organs, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, and digestive arrangement, are afflicted.

This tin cause:

uncomfortable swelling in the arms or legs (lymphoedema)
breathlessness, coughing upwardly blood, and chest pain
feeling sick and being sick
tummy hurting and diarrhoea

How speedily the symptoms progress depends on the blazon of Kaposi's sarcoma. Without treatment, about types of Kaposi'south sarcoma get worse quickly, in a number of weeks or months. However, some types progress very slowly, over many years.

When to become medical advice

Meet a GP if:

you lot have symptoms that could be caused past Kaposi's sarcoma
you've been diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma and your symptoms have go worse
you've had Kaposi's sarcoma in the past and it's returned

If the GP thinks you may take Kaposi's sarcoma, they'll refer you for farther tests to ostend the diagnosis.

If yous have HIV, you lot can also contact your local HIV clinic if you have any concerns.

Diagnosing Kaposi's sarcoma

A biopsy is the main method of diagnosing Kaposi's sarcoma. A sample of affected tissue is taken so it can exist checked nether a microscope. The procedure is usually washed under local anaesthetic.

You lot'll need to have an endoscopy if information technology's thought yous have Kaposi's sarcoma in your digestive system.

A long, thin, flexible tube with a light and photographic camera at one end (an endoscope) is passed downwardly your throat so the inside of your body tin exist examined.

Sometimes a CT scan may also be done to cheque whether your lymph nodes, or any other parts of your trunk, are afflicted.

What causes Kaposi's sarcoma?

Kaposi's sarcoma is caused past a virus chosen the human herpesvirus viii (HHV-eight), too known equally the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

The virus is thought to be spread during sexual activity, through claret or saliva, or from a female parent to her baby during birth.

HHV-8 is a relatively mutual virus, and virtually people who have information technology volition not develop Kaposi'southward sarcoma.

The virus merely seems to cause cancer in some people with a weakened immune system, and people who have a genetic vulnerability to the virus.

A weakened immune arrangement allows the HHV-8 virus to multiply to high levels in the blood, increasing the chance of it causing Kaposi'south sarcoma.

The virus appears to alter the genetic instructions that command cell growth. It affects the cells that line the inside surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, chosen endothelial cells.

The endothelial cells reproduce uncontrollably and class lumps of tissue known as tumours.

Treating Kaposi'southward sarcoma

At that place are 4 main types of Kaposi's sarcoma, and each type is treated in a different mode.

HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcoma is i of the main types of cancer to impact people with HIV. It tin progress very quickly if it is non treated.

It can usually be treated very effectively by taking HIV medicine known as combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).

This prevents HIV multiplying and allows the immune system to recover. The allowed system can then reduce the levels of HHV-eight in the trunk.

Some people may as well need other treatments, such every bit chemotherapy or a medicine called interferon.

Classic Kaposi'southward sarcoma

Classic Kaposi's sarcoma is very rare, and mainly affects the pare on the lower legs and feet.

Unlike other types of Kaposi's sarcoma, the symptoms of classic Kaposi'due south sarcoma progress very slowly over many years.

It'south idea that people with archetype Kaposi's sarcoma are built-in with a genetic vulnerability to the HHV-8 virus. It'southward most common in older men with a Mediterranean or Jewish background.

The condition does non impact life expectancy, then immediate treatment is not usually needed. Yous'll exist closely monitored, and treatment may be recommended if the affected areas of skin are large and visible.

Radiotherapy tin can be used to treat the affected areas of skin. Cryotherapy (freezing) or modest surgery may also be used to remove the skin lesions.

Transplant Kaposi's sarcoma

Transplant Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare complication of an organ transplant.

Subsequently an organ transplant, you're given a medicine called an immunosuppressant to prevent your body rejecting the donated organ.

This weakens (suppresses) your immune system. Only it can also allow a previous HHV-viii infection to reactivate and the virus to start multiplying again.

Transplant Kaposi's sarcoma tin be ambitious and needs to be treated chop-chop. Reducing or irresolute your immunosuppressant medicine tin assist. If this is unsuccessful, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may exist needed.

Owned or African Kaposi's sarcoma

Endemic or African Kaposi's sarcoma is common in parts of Africa where the HHV-viii infection is widespread.

Information technology'southward oftentimes acquired by an undiagnosed HIV infection, and HIV medicine is the most effective treatment.

If this condition is non caused past an HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be needed.

Outlook

With the right treatment, Kaposi'due south sarcoma can usually be controlled for many years. Deaths from the condition are uncommon in the UK.

The lesions volition often compress and fade with treatment, but they may not disappear completely.

It may not be possible to cure Kaposi's sarcoma completely, and in that location's always a take chances it could come dorsum in the futurity.

See a GP or infirmary specialist, or contact your local HIV dispensary as shortly as possible if yous've had Kaposi's sarcoma in the past and yous retrieve it may have returned.

Most people with HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma tin be successfully treated with a combination of antiretroviral therapy and chemotherapy. Once the immune organisation has fully recovered, it'south unlikely to relapse.

Page last reviewed: twenty April 2020
Next review due: xx Apr 2023