Kaposi
sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops from the cells that line lymph
vessels (lymph, the fluid that circulates in
lymph vessels, returns proteins to the bloodstream, and is responsible for
catching bacteria and delivering them to lymph nodes where they are destroyed),
or blood vessels. It usually appears as tumors on the skin or on mucosal
surfaces such as inside the mouth, but tumors can also develop in other parts
of the body, such as in the lymph nodes (bean-sized collections of immune cells
throughout the body), the lungs, or digestive tract.
There
are 4 types of Kaposi sarcoma:
1-
Epidemic or AIDS-related KS: occurs in patients
with AIDS (not just HIV infection, but the fully fledged disease)
2-
Classic Mediterranean Kaposi Sarcoma
3-
Endemic (African) Kaposi Sarcoma
4-
Transplant-related Kaposi Sarcoma
Kaposi sarcoma is caused by infection with a virus called
the Kaposi sarcoma associated
herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), a virus that belongs to the same
family as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the virus known to cause infectious
mononucleosis (mono) and is linked to several types of cancer.
Kaposi sarcoma is notorious for causing lesions in several
areas of the body simultaneously.
Treatment options for each patient depend on the function of
the immune system as well as the number, location, and size of the lesions.
