Kaposi’s sarcoma | Medtick
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Kaposi’s sarcoma

What is it?

A  type of skin cancer that normally occurs forms in the lining of blood and lymph vessels in very weak immune condition patients.

The tumours appear as red or purple patches on the skin, mouth, lungs, liver, or gastrointestinal tract.

The four types of Kaposi’s sarcoma:

Classic Kaposi’s sarcoma

  • Slow growing skin tumor
  • Males of Italian or Eastern European Jewish ancestry.
  • May develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma or another cancer before the skin lesions appear or later in life.

African Kaposi’s sarcoma

  • Young males in  Africa on or around the equator.
  • Slow-growing tumor, but in some cases, it can be aggressive, invading bone and tissue under the skin.

Immunosuppressive-treatment-related Kaposi’s sarcoma

  • People who are taking immunosuppressive medication after an organ transplant.
  • It sometimes improves if the medication is reduced or changed.

AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma.

  • Affects people with HIV/AIDs.
  • Rapidly progressing tumour affecting the skin, lymph nodes, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, liver, or spleen.
  • Nearly all cases involve homosexual or bisexual men.

Diagnosis tests

  • Skin Biopsy
  • Immunohistochemistry tests
    • Detects HHV-8 latent nuclear antigen (LANA-1) in tumor cells.
  • PCR/ Molecular HHV-8 Testing
  • Endoscopy/bronchoscopy if other organs involved
  • CT scan/PET scan if other organs involved

Cause

  • Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) (virus is thought to be spread during sex, through blood or saliva, or from a mother to her baby during birth)
  • Castleman disease
  • H.I.V
  • A very weak immune system i.e. cancers
  • Poorly controlled diabetes
  • Older men of Eastern European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent

Treatments

  • Organ transplants

Medication

  • Organ transplant medications

Symptoms

  • Red and/or purple patches/spots on the skin?
  • Red and/or purple patches/spots around or in mouth and face?
  • Soft and spongy at first, but they become hard and solid over time, the surface of the tumor may develop open ulcers?
  • Coughing?
  • Shortness of breath/breathing difficulties?
  • Wheezing?
  • Swelling of face?
  • Swelling of legs and/or hands?
  • Feel full quickly when eating, trapped wind and burping?
  • Change in bowel habits that are more than three weeks i.e. going to the toilet more often or less often than usual?
  • Pain and/or mass on the right hand side?
  • Long term persistent indigestion, frequent heartburn or constant abdominal pain?
  • Stomach lumps?
  • Blood in faeces?
  • Black/tarry stools?
  • Loss of appetite?
  • Find passing stools difficult and constipated?
  • Enlarged spleen?
  • Enlarged liver?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

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