skin disorders
Kaposi Sarcoma
Symptoms of Kaposi Sarcoma
Kaposi sarcoma usually appears as purple, pink, brown, or red spots or bumps on the skin. The cancer may grow to several inches or more as blue-violet to black, flat or slightly raised areas. Swelling may be present. Sometimes the cancer grows deeper into soft tissues and invades bone. Cancer of mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth, are blue to violet in color. In the digestive tract, the cancer can sometimes bleed excessively but usually causes no symptoms. Men over age 60 with the classic type may develop several additional spots on the legs, but the cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body and is almost never fatal. In the 4 other types of Kaposi sarcoma, the cancer may be more aggressive. Similar-appearing spots develop, but they are often multiple and may occur anywhere on the body. Within several months, people with the AIDS-associated type develop spots that spread to other parts of the body, such as the face and torso, often including the mouth, where they cause pain with eating. The spots may also develop in lymph nodes and internal organs, especially the digestive tract, where they can cause internal bleeding that leads to blood in the stool. Sometimes Kaposi sarcoma is the first symptom of AIDS. In the United States, most cases of Kaposi sarcoma occur in people with AIDS. This type typically develops several years after organ transplantation. It can be severe, and spots may rapidly develop. In children, the endemic type usually involves the lymph nodes. The children may or may not have spots on the skin. The disease is usually sudden, severe, and fatal. In adults, the endemic type tends to cause slow-growing spots and patches on the skin similar to those of the classic type. The cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body and is not likely to be fatal. This recently described type typically manifests with individual spots similar to classic Kaposi sarcoma, but it occurs specifically in men who are HIV-negative and who have sex with men. The severity of this type is still being studied. 