Kaposi's Sarcoma
Definition
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a cancer of the skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessels; it is the most common form of cancer in AIDS patients. It was named for Dr. Moritz Kaposi (1837-1902), a Hungarian dermatologist who first described it in 1872. As of 2001, researchers disagree as to whether KS is a true cancer or a disorder of the skin that develops as a reaction to infection by a herpesvirus.
Description
The formal medical term for Kaposi's sarcoma is multiple idiopathic hemorrhagic sarcoma. This term means that KS develops in many different sites on the patient's skin or internal organs; that its cause is unknown; and that it is characterized by bleeding. The lesions (areas of diseased or damaged skin), which are usually round or elliptical in shape and a...
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