Oncologist-approved cancer information from the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Printer Friendly
Download PDF

Sarcoma - Kaposi

Treatment Options



Treatment overview


Antiviral treatment

For patients with epidemic Kaposi sarcoma, highly active antiviral treatment (HAART) for HIV/AIDS is usually used before any other treatment options to treat the tumor and reduce the patient’s symptoms. HAART may be given alone or in combination with chemotherapy (see below), depending on the spread of the disease and the patient’s symptoms.

Rarely, HARRT can make the preexisting infections and the Kaposi sarcoma worse. This reaction is called "immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome" (IRIS). If symptoms get worse in the initial weeks after starting HARRT, talk with your doctor.



Surgery is the removal of the tumor and surrounding tissue (called a margin) during an operation. Surgery may be performed by a surgical oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer using surgery. Surgery is most useful when the lesions are located in a single area or a few specific areas. Two types of surgical procedures used for Kaposi sarcoma are:

Curettage and electrodesiccation. During this procedure, the cancer is removed with a curette, a sharp, spoon-shaped instrument. The area can then be treated with electrodesiccation, which uses an electric current to control bleeding and destroy any remaining cancer cells. Many patients have a flat, pale scar from this procedure.

Cryosurgery. Cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy or cryoablation) uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy cells. The skin will later blister and slough off (shed off). This procedure will sometimes leave a pale scar. More than one freezing may be needed.

Learn more about cancer surgery.

Photodynamic therapy

During photodynamic therapy, a light-sensitive substance is injected into the lesion. This substance remains in the cancerous cells longer than the healthy cells. A laser is then directed at the lesion to destroy the cancerous cells that have absorbed the light-sensitive substance.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. Traditional external-beam radiation therapy delivers x-rays from a machine outside the body to remove the tumor. It may also be given as a palliative treatment (care given to improve quality of life by treating the symptoms and side effects of the cancer or its treatment). A radiation therapy regimen (schedule) usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period of time.

Treatment may cause a rash, dry or red skin, or it may change the color of the skin. Other side effects from radiation therapy may include fatigue, upset stomach, and loose bowel movements. Most side effects go away soon after treatment is finished. Learn more about radiation therapy.


Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide. Systemic chemotherapy is delivered through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is given by a medical oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with medication. A chemotherapy regimen usually consists of a specific number of cycles given over a set period of time. Sometimes, chemotherapy is injected directly into the lesion to kill the cancer cells, called intralesional injections.

A patient may receive one drug at a time or combinations of different drugs at the same time. Commonly used drugs for epidemic Kaposi sarcoma are liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil, Rubex), paclitaxel (Taxol), and vinorelebine (Navelbine).

The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the individual and the dose used, but they may include nausea and vomiting, hair loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, low blood count, bleeding or bruising after minor cuts or injuries, numbness and tingling in the hands or feet, headaches, and darkening of the skin and fingernails. These side effects usually go away once treatment is finished.



Immunotherapy (also called biologic therapy) is designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. It uses materials made either by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function. Sometimes, Kaposi sarcoma responds well to alpha-interferon (Roferon-A [2a], Intron A [2b], Alferon [2a]), which appears to work by changing proteins on the surface of the cancer cells and by slowing their growth. The most common side effects of immunotherapy are a decreased white blood cell count and flu-like symptoms. Learn more about immunotherapy.

Getting care for symptoms and side effects





Recurrent Kaposi sarcoma






Metastatic Kaposi sarcoma




If treatment fails







Connect With Us: