Imagine that you suddenly develop strange colored spots or small bumps on your skin, inside your mouth, or inside your nose. You may not pay much attention to these. But these could be a sign of a rare cancer called Kaposi Sarcoma. Don't be scared when you hear this name, this is not a disease that many people get. But it is very important to be aware of this. So let's talk about it simply.
What exactly is Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)?
Simply put, Kaposi's sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the soft tissues of our body. It causes small lumps or lesions to form on our skin, inside our mouth, inside our nose, and on the mucous membranes in places like the anus. These are usually red, purple, brown, or black in color. These lumps can be at the same level as the skin or they can be raised above the skin and look like bumps.
These lumps are not limited to the skin. Sometimes, they can even form in internal organs like the liver, stomach, and lungs.
The main reason for this condition is the infection of a virus called Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and the weakening of your body's immune system . However, not everyone who has HHV-8 in their body develops Kaposi's sarcoma. It is only when the immune system is weakened that this virus gets the opportunity to transform cells into cancer cells.
What are the main types of Kaposi sarcoma?
Kaposi's sarcoma can be divided into four main types. Each type has a different pattern of development and the groups of people it is most common in.
| Kaposi's sarcoma type | More information |
|---|---|
| Epidemic KS | This is the most common type. It is directly related to HIV/AIDS . This type is more likely to occur when the body's immune system is severely weakened by the HIV virus. |
| Classic KS | This type is most common in men over the age of 60, especially in areas such as the Mediterranean, Southwest Asia, and Eastern Europe. In this type, the lumps grow in clusters. It can sometimes spread to internal organs. |
| Endemic KS | This type is most common in people living near the African equator. It is similar to classic KS, but is usually diagnosed at a much younger age (under 40 years). |
| Acquired KS | This can occur due to another medical condition. For example, if you have had an organ transplant, such as a kidney or liver, and are taking immunosuppressants, this type of infection can occur because your immune system is weakened. |
What could be the symptoms of this disease?
The symptoms of Kaposi's sarcoma depend on where the lesions are located. That is, the symptoms are different if they are only on the skin, and the symptoms are different if they are in the lungs.
| Location of symptoms | Symptoms that can be seen |
|---|---|
| Skin | Unusual spots or lumps that appear on the skin in one or more places. These may be flat or raised. They may be painless. |
| Digestive System | Stomach pain, blood in the stool, constipation, diarrhea, or vomiting may occur. |
| Lungs | Things like difficulty breathing, chest pain, and coughing up blood can occur. |
| Lymph Nodes | If these lumps block the lymph vessels, swelling of the limbs (Lymphedema) can occur. |
| Mouth | If these lumps form inside the mouth, they can cause pain when eating and swallowing. |
What are the risk factors for developing Kaposi's sarcoma?
As we've discussed before, the HHV-8 virus and a weak immune system are the main causes, but there are several other risk factors that contribute to this condition.
- Age: This risk is generally higher for people between the ages of 40 and 70.
- Ethnicity/region: People of Mediterranean, Southwest Asian, Eastern European, or Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at higher risk. People living near the equator in Africa are also at higher risk.
- Immunosuppression: This is the most important factor . If your body's immune system is weakened, either due to a condition like HIV/AIDS or due to taking immunosuppressants after an organ transplant, your risk is much higher.
- Gender: Men are more likely to develop Kaposi's sarcoma than women.
- Sexual activity: Unprotected sexual intercourse increases the risk of contracting HHV-8 and HIV. These viruses are usually spread through bodily fluids.
The most important thing is that this disease is not contagious. This means that you cannot get the disease by touching someone who has Kaposi's sarcoma, talking to them, or using something they use.
How does a doctor diagnose this disease?
If you have these symptoms, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. He or she will first examine your body, especially looking for any spots or lumps on your skin. Then, they will ask you about your symptoms and any medical conditions you have had in the past.
Because Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare disease, it may take a while to get an accurate diagnosis. You may have to see several specialists. Don't worry about it.
What tests are performed?
The doctor recommends several tests to confirm the diagnosis.
- Biopsy: This is the most important test. This involves taking a very small piece of tissue from the lump or spot and sending it to a lab to be examined under a microscope. This will determine exactly whether there are cancer cells in it.
- Chest X-ray or CT scan: These tests help to see if there are any lumps in the lungs.
- Endoscopy: A thin tube with a camera is used to look for any abnormalities inside the digestive tract, such as the stomach and intestines.
- Bronchoscopy: This is similar to endoscopy, but it looks inside the trachea and airways leading to the lungs.
- Immunohistochemistry: This is a special test. It looks for a specific protein (LANA-1) associated with the HHV-8 virus in the tissue taken from the biopsy. This can help differentiate between Kaposi's sarcoma and another disease that looks similar.
How is it treated?
The treatment plan will vary from person to person. Your doctor will develop the best treatment plan for you based on the type of KS you have, how many lumps you have, where they are located, and your overall health.
There are several main treatment methods used:
- Antiretroviral therapy: If you have HIV, this treatment controls the HIV virus. This then strengthens your immune system. When your immune system is strong, KS lumps often shrink or disappear on their own.
- Chemotherapy: Drugs given to kill cancer cells. These can be given as injections or pills.
- Radiation therapy: This uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. This is usually used for skin tumors.
- Surgery: One or two small skin lumps can be cut out and removed.
- Cryotherapy: Uses extreme cold (liquid nitrogen) to destroy skin tumors.
- Targeted therapy: These drugs target only the specific things that cancer cells need to grow, thus causing less damage to healthy cells.
Your oncologist will explain which of these treatments is best for you.
What should you pay attention to after treatment and in daily life?
Kaposi's sarcoma can sometimes recur after treatment. Therefore, it is very important to maintain regular contact with your doctor. He or she will ask you to come in for regular checkups. Be sure to go and get checked at that time.
These things will help keep your immune system strong.
If you have Kaposi's sarcoma, the best thing you can do for yourself is to try to keep your immune system strong.
- Eat nutritious foods: Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Sleep well: Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a day.
- Avoid smoking: Smoking weakens the immune system.
- Limit alcohol.
- Manage stress: Things like meditation and yoga can help.
- Wash your hands often: This is important to protect yourself from infections.
- Get the vaccinations recommended by your doctor on time.
Take-Home Message
- Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a rare type of cancer caused by the HHV-8 virus and a weakened immune system.
- Purple, red, or brown spots or bumps on the skin are the main symptoms, but they can also develop on internal organs.
- If you have HIV/AIDS, or if you have had an organ transplant, it is important to be extra careful about this.
- Like any cancer, it is very important to detect and treat this one at an early stage .
- If you notice an unusual, non-healing spot or lump on your skin, don't be afraid or suspicious and see your doctor immediately.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න