Kaposi's sarcoma - Reference Center

More Sponsored Links For:

Columbia Encyclopedia entry: Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcomakäp'əshē′, kəpō'sē, a usually fatal cancer that was considered rare until its appearance in AIDS patients. First described by an Austro-Hungarian physician, Moritz Kaposi, in 1872, it appears in three forms and is characterized by vascular skin tumors. Kaposi's sarcoma is endemic in Africa, where it is more aggressive, seen in children and young men, and accounts for 10% of malignancies in Congo (Kinshasa) and Uganda. A mild form of the disease is sometimes seen in elderly men of Mediterranean origin. The development of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma has been linked to a virus of the herpes group. In the early 1980s it was seen in nearly 50% of AIDS patients, but the proportion has decreased since that time. In AIDS, Kaposi's presents as barely raised pink or red papules or plaques that become widely disseminated on the skin and in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, where they may cause extensive bleeding. Treatment includes chemotherapy or surgical excision, cryosurgury (destruction by freezing), or electrodessication (destruction by heat). Local radiation therapy can also be effective. AIDS patients are treated with Vinblastine, an active, but weak, agent, which further lowers immunity.

Wikipedia search results for: Kaposi's sarcoma

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kaposi's sarcoma (redirected from Kaposis sarcoma) is a tumor caused by Human herpesvirus 8, also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. It was originally described by Moritz Kaposi, a Hungarian dermatologist practicing at the University of Vienna in 1872. It became more widely known as one of the AIDS defining illnesses in the 1980s. The viral cause for this cancer was discovered in 1994. Although KS is now well-established to be caused by a virus infection, there is widespread lack of awareness of this even among persons at risk for KSHV/HHV-8 infection . HHV-8 is responsible for all varieties of KS. Classic KS as originally described was a relatively indolent...more »

Columbia Encyclopedia search results: Kaposis sarcoma

Results 1 - 5 of 5

skin cancer
Skin cancer, malignant tumor of the skin. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Rarer forms include mycosis fungoides (a type of...
interferon
Interferon, any of a group of proteins produced by cells in the body in response to an attack by a virus. A cell infected by a virus releases minute amounts of interferons, which attach themse...
human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus (HPV), any of a family of more than 60 viruses that cause various growths, including plantar warts and genital warts, a sexually transmitted disease. Detectable warts can ...
AIDS, in medicine
AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, fatal disease caused by a rapidly mutating retrovirus that attacks the immune system and leaves the victim vulnerable to infections, malignancies, a...
cancer, in medicine
Cancer, in medicine, common term for neoplasms, or tumors, that are malignant. Like benign tumors, malignant tumors do not respond to body mechanisms that limit cell growth. Unlike benign tumo...

Sponsored Links

More Sponsored Links For:

Sponsored Links

More Sponsored Links For:

Related Encyclopedia Matches

Reference Center To Go