Kaposi's sarcoma is a type of cancer that commonly affects the skin, mouth and internal organs. It is commonly associated with AIDS, although the disease can appear in those who do not have the immune disorder. However, it is more common and aggressive in those struggling with the disease. There are several ways to treat Kaposi's sarcoma and the preferable method depends on the patient's age, overall health and medical history.
Instructions
1. Undergo antiretroviral therapy if you have Kaposi's sarcoma and you are suffering from AIDS. Antiretroviral medications can help to impair the activity of infected cells in your body, making the outcome of Kaposi's sarcoma better.
2. Have surgery to remove the cancerous lesions. Using traditional surgical methods, cancers are excised, along with a bit of healthy tissue. Surgical removal may be performed on an inpatient or outpatient basis, depending on the progression and location of the cancerous lesions.
3. Undergo chemotherapy, the administering of medications that fight cancer, to treat Kaposi's sarcoma. This may help to fight lesions and tumors, but it is not a permanent cure for the disease. Systemic chemotherapy is a good way to kill cancerous cells throughout the body by taking a drug by mouth or injection that spreads its cancer-fighting ability through the bloodstream.
4. Try radiation therapy to kill malignant cells. The radiation can also shrink the tumors. Photon radiation therapy, involving the use of high-energy light, is one option for fighting Kaposi's sarcoma.
5. Ask for a medication change if you're a transplant patient who has developed Kaposi's sarcoma. You may experience some improvement if your immunosuppressive medication dose is lowered or switched to something else altogether.
6. Try cryosurgery. This treatment method involves freezing the cancerous lesion with liquid nitrogen. This is generally performed on lesions that are small and in earlier stages of development.
7. Undergo biologic therapy, which uses the immune system to fight Kaposi's sarcoma. This type of therapy involves the use of substances--some naturally occurring some manufactured--to improve the body's cancer defenses. Interferon alfa is one such agent that works to boost the body's response to cancer, impairing malignant cell division and shrinking tumors.
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