Treatment and Prevention
Treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma can be difficult due to the immunosuppressed
state of many of the people who are affected: these people are at a high
risk of infections from procedures. Your doctor will recommend treatment based on your general health as well as on where and how extensive the lesions
are and how many there are.
Generally, most cancers are treated by physical removal of the tumor or lesion
(cryotherapy in this case), chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination. For people with AIDS, anti-HIV medications are used against the virus. This can improve the person's overall health and help treat Kaposi's sarcoma.
For skin lesions, some possible treatments are:
Cryotherapy:
Cryotherapy is a procedure that uses liquid nitrogen or other cryogens to freeze
tissue. In cases of Kaposi's sarcoma, a doctor might freeze the lesions to destroy
them.
Locoregional therapy:
Locoregional therapy involves injecting chemotherapy agents directly into the
Kaposi's sarcoma lesions.
Radiation therapy:
Direct radiation therapy is another option to treat for the lesions. This involves aiming
radiation directly at the spots. Some side effects associated with radiation
include:
- fatigue
- red, dry skin at the radiation site
- nausea and vomiting
- decreased appetite
- diarrhea
If the Kaposi's sarcoma has advanced and affects the internal organs, other
therapies might include:
Interferon:
Some success has been found using high-dose interferon. It can shrink tumor size in about 40% to 45% of cases. The use is limited to certain people,
however, because it's a very toxic treatment.
Chemotherapy:
Like many cancers, chemotherapy is an option in treating Kaposi's sarcoma. Because
this treatment is systemic (i.e., it affects many systems in the body) or generalized, many side effects can occur. Most
chemotherapy medications are given by intravenous drip (IV), but some can be
taken by mouth. Some common side effects of chemotherapy include:
- nausea and vomiting
- hair loss
- fatigue
- diarrhea
- chills
- shortness of breath
- coughing
- mouth sores
The latest research suggests that Kaposi's sarcoma may actually be not a cancer
but a sexually transmitted virus. If this is the case, then the precautions
taken against other sexually transmitted diseases should also be taken to try
to prevent Kaposi's sarcoma. Practicing safe sex can also protect you from becoming infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Since AIDS increases the risk of Kaposi's sarcoma, practicing safe sex can help reduce your risk of this cancer.