1. Kaposi's Sarcoma Usually Doesn't Kill
The effects of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are disfiguring and occasionally painful, but they're not usually lethal. The most common sign of KS is the presence of tumors directly beneath the skin. These skin lesions are often red, purple or brown in color and can cause swelling and irritation. Lesions may also appear in connective tissues and mucous membranes, such as the gums and the inside of the gastrointestinal tract. In rare cases, lesions may appear in the lungs or liver, occasionally causing life-threatening symptoms like difficulty breathing or internal bleeding.
2. KS Before AIDS
For decades, Kaposi's sarcoma was found primarily in elderly men of Jewish or Mediterranean heritage. "Classic Kaposi's sarcoma," as this kind is called, produces skin lesions mostly on the feet and legs and rarely spreads to other organs. The other naturally-occurring variety of the cancer is called "Endemic Kaposi's sarcoma." It's found in young men living in equatorial Africa and is very common, sometimes accounting for more than 10 percent of a given country's cancer rate. Like Classic KS, Endemic KS affects many more men than women, produces skin lesions on the lower extremities and doesn't usually spread to other parts of the body.
3. A Cancer of an Advanced Epidemic
People with AIDS have a much higher risk of acquiring KS than those with undeveloped HIV. During the early phases of the AIDS epidemic in the late 1980s and early 1990s, nearly one in four homosexual men developed the cancer. As HIV treatment improved with the introduction of antiretroviral drugs in the late 1990s, this rate dropped substantially. The incidence of KS among homosexual men fell by 85 percent in the United States and nearly 90 percent in Europe. Despite these advances, AIDS is still a major risk factor for KS because of its debilitating effect on the immune system.
4. Switch Organs and Risk Getting KS
After you get an organ transplant, your doctor will likely put you on certain medications that weaken your immune system. These drugs make it easier for your body to accept the donor tissue, but they also lower its natural defenses against infection. While this increases the transplant's chances of success, it also makes you more vulnerable to the virus that causes KS, the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), or human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8). This kind of the cancer is called "Transplant-Related" or "Acquired" Kaposi's sarcoma.
5. Beating Kaposi's Sarcoma
Doctors use a variety of treatments to fight Kaposi's sarcoma: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, medication and surgery are all used to attack and remove the disease's cancerous lesions. If you're battling KS, talk to your doctor about which option is best for you. The specific combination of treatments you receive will depend on the type and severity of your KS.
