Bone and Soft Tissue Oncology

Patient and Family Education

Kaposi's Sarcoma

Risk Factors

Kaposi's sarcoma is usually found in men. The highest risk of Kaposi's occurs among male homosexuals and bisexuals infected with HIV. Recent figures show there are about 800,000 to 1.2 million people in the United States infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that leads to AIDS.

Thanks to the introduction of antiviral medications in the United States, the rate of Kaposi's sarcoma has dropped by about 70 percent over the last decade. It is currently estimated that six cases of Kaposi's sarcoma will be diagnosed per every 1,000,000 people each year.

Other risk factors for Kaposi's include having other sexually transmitted diseases and a high number of sexual partners. People with HIV should see a health care professional regularly who is familiar with the symptoms of Kaposi's sarcoma and other AIDS-related conditions.

This page was last updated on: January 29, 2010.