User:Mr. Ibrahem/Kaposi's sarcoma
Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a type of cancer that can form masses in the skin, lymph nodes, or other organs.[4] The skin lesions are usually purple in color.[4] They can occur singularly, in a limited area, or be widespread.[8] It may worsen either gradually or quickly.[6] Lesions may be flat or raised.[6] Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) is found in the lesions of all those who are affected.[4] Risk factors include poor immune function, either as a result of disease or specific medications, and chronic lymphedema.[4][6]
Kaposi's sarcoma, multiple haemorrhagic sarcoma | |
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Other names | Kaposi sarcoma |
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Kaposi sarcoma. Characteristic purple lesions on the nose in an HIV-positive female.[1] | |
Pronunciation | |
Specialty | Oncology |
Symptoms | Purple colored skin lesions[4] |
Types | Classic, endemic, immunosuppression therapy-related, epidemic[4][5] |
Risk factors | Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), poor immune function[4][6] |
Diagnostic method | Tissue biopsy, medical imaging[6][4] |
Differential diagnosis | Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, pyogenic granuloma, melanocytic nevi, melanoma[6] |
Treatment | Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy[4] |
Frequency | 42,000 (new cases, 2018)[7] |
Deaths | 20,000 (2018)[7] |
Four sub-types are described: classic, endemic, immunosuppression therapy-related, and epidemic.[4] Classic KS tends to affect older men, be slow growing, and affect the legs.[4] Endemic KS occurs in young adult males in Africa and can be more aggressive.[4] Immunosuppression therapy-related KS generally occurs in people following organ transplantation and mostly affects the skin.[4] Epidemic KS occurs in people with AIDS and many parts of the body can be affected.[4] The diagnosis is by tissue biopsy while the extent of disease may be determined by medical imaging.[4][6]
Treatment is based on the sub-type, whether the condition is localized or widespread, and the person's immune function.[6] Localized skin lesions may be treated by surgery, injections of chemotherapy into the lesion, or radiation therapy.[6] Widespread disease may be treated with chemotherapy or biologic therapy.[6][4] In those with HIV/AIDS highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) prevents and often treats KS.[9] In certain cases the addition of chemotherapy may be required.[9] With widespread disease, death may occur.[6]
The condition is relatively common in people with HIV/AIDS and following organ transplant as of 2017.[6][9] Over 35% of people with AIDS may be affected.[10] It was first described by Moritz Kaposi in 1872.[8][11] It became more widely known as one of the AIDS-defining illnesses in the 1980s.[8] The virus associated with this cancer was discovered in 1994.[8][12]