What is Kaposi Sarcoma?

Kaposi sarcoma is a type of soft-tissue sarcoma that starts in immature cells in the walls of blood vessels and lymph vessels. Kaposi sarcoma usually appears as pink, red, purple, or brown lesions on the skin or mouth, but it can also affect internal organs, most commonly the digestive tract and lungs. This disease is often found in people with AIDS and in those receiving immunosuppressive therapy for an organ transplant. All forms of Kaposi sarcoma are caused by infection with the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also known as Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV); however, not every person with this virus develops Kaposi sarcoma.

Types of Kaposi Sarcoma

There are four main types of Kaposi sarcoma that each behave differently:

• Classic

  Classic Kaposi Sarcoma is a slow-growing form of the disease that affects mostly older men of Mediterranean or Jewish descent. This disease grows and progresses slowly and often gradually gets worse over many years.

• African

  African Kaposi Sarcoma is a form of the disease that commonly affects adults and children in Africa. Symptoms of African Kaposi Sarcoma may be the same as those of Classic Kaposi Sarcoma, or it may be more aggressive, quickly spreading from the skin to the bones or other organs.

• Transplant-associated

  Also known as Immunosuppression-associated Kaposi Sarcoma, this form of the disease occurs in people who have had organ transplants. These people take immunosuppressive drugs to inhibit the immune system and prevent the body from rejecting the transplant. This form of the disease usually affects the skin but may also develop in the mouth or internal organs.

• AIDS-associated

  AIDS-associated Kaposi Sarcoma, also known as Epidemic Kaposi Sarcoma, develops in people who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This form of the disease is often more aggressive than other forms and spreads more widely in the body.