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Management of AIDS-Related Kaposi Sarcoma

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Cancers in People with HIV and AIDS

Abstract

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal angiogenic neoplasm whose development requires systemic infection with a human herpesvirus, known as human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) or the KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). KSHV infection is required for development of this neoplasm, but KS occurs in only a fraction of KSHV-infected individuals. Although KS lesions may arise in the absence of overt immunodeficiency, defects in endogenous viral control mechanisms increase the likelihood that KS will develop. KS is thus more frequently observed among individuals with underlying conditions, such as HIV infection, that impair antiviral immune responses, and is considered an AIDS-defining condition when it occurs in an HIV-infected person. In formulating a management strategy for KS in HIV-infected individuals, two main aspects of the disease need to be considered: (1) The extent of dissemination of KS and the extent to which it impairs the functional status and quality of life of the affected individual; and (2) The degree to which HIV infection is suppressed and the options available for improving HIV control and immune function.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AIDS Malignancy Consortium, New York, NY, USA

    Susan E. Krown M.D.

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  1. Susan E. Krown M.D.
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Correspondence to Susan E. Krown M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Cancer Institute HIV/AIDS Malignancy Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Robert Yarchoan

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Krown, S.E. (2014). Management of AIDS-Related Kaposi Sarcoma. In: Yarchoan, R. (eds) Cancers in People with HIV and AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0859-2_10

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