Kaposi Sarcoma

Treatment

Mayo Clinic's approach to treating Kaposi sarcoma depends on many factors including:

• The patient's age and general health
• The type and grade of the disease
• The tumor's location in the body
• How far the cancer has progressed
• Whether the cancer has spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body
• The presence of other medical conditions

Specialists treat Kaposi sarcomas with antiretroviral therapy, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Sometimes these treatments are given in combination.

Antiretroviral Therapy

For Kaposi sarcoma patients who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the use of antiretroviral therapy improves outcomes. Antiretroviral drugs suppress the activity of HIV-infected cells. Physicians tailor additional forms of treatment to the needs of each patient.

Surgery

Surgeons sometimes use traditional surgical methods to eliminate lesions that can safely be removed. Other surgical procedures such as cryotherapy (freezing) may also be used, depending on the patient's condition. Surgery does not permanently stop the disease from advancing.

Freezing (Cryosurgery)

Small, early stage cancers can be destroyed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen.

Surgical Excision

This procedure may be performed in the outpatient or inpatient setting depending on the extent of the cancer's spread. Cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue, is cut out (excised). Reconstruction and skin grafting may be part of this treatment if the cancerous tumor is on the head or neck. A specialized form of surgical excision, Moh's surgery, is available. In this procedure the doctor will remove the skin growth layer by layer. Each layer will be examined under the microscope, and layer removal will continue until no abnormal cells remain.

Chemotherapy

Medical oncologists give patients a combination of cancer-fighting drugs to attack Kaposi sarcoma cells. Chemotherapy can be administered to the whole body or directly to the tumor. Chemotherapy often shrinks tumors or lesions associated with Kaposi sarcoma, but it does not cure the underlying disease.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation oncologists use radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. Localized cases of Kaposi sarcoma are often treated with external beam radiation.

Changing Medications

For organ transplant patients who acquire Kaposi sarcoma, lowering the dose of immunosuppressive medication and switching to different drugs can help control the disease. Physicians at Mayo Clinic carefully monitor each patient to find the right drug combination.