 |
   
|
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Medical News AIDS-Related Cancer Triggered by Cut: ReportApril 26, 2002 A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information! The case of an HIV-positive patient who developed Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) at a biopsy site suggests that patients may develop the cancer following some type of incision, cut or tissue injury, according to a report in the April 18th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (2002;346:1207-1210). The case study describes the experience of an HIV-positive man, 38, who underwent minor surgery to remove salivary gland tissue. A few days later, he returned with a mass inside his lip growing at the biopsy site. Doctors administered antibiotics to prevent infection, but the patient soon returned when the mass had grown, reporting that pain stretched down his neck. The doctors then performed a biopsy of the new mass and discovered it was KS. Once KS was discovered, it was treated with radiation. The patient has now been free of the disease for more than two years. KS is characterized by reddish, raised tumors that develop under the skin or in mucus membranes, such as those lining the nose, mouth or anus. In some cases, the lesions can be painful or can cause swelling in nearby tissues. The cancer is thought to be caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), which lies dormant in healthy people but can become active in those with weakened immune systems. "In this case, both viral infection and wound healing appeared to play a part in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma," wrote Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Establishing that an incision or some type of cut may also be needed to spark KS would explain why, after surgery, some patients develop KS in the places they received sutures. Reuters Health 04.25.02 A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!  This article was provided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update. Visit the CDC's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.
|
 |
Email
Print-Friendly
Glossary
The Body: About The Body | Contact The Body | Site Policies | Content Providers | Advertise With Us | Site Map
Remedy Health Media: About Remedy Health Media | Contact Remedy Health Media | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 500 5th Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10110. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.
