Kaposi's Sarcoma is sometimes misdiagnosed as Bacillary Angiomatosis

It has been reported that some patients have been misdiagnosed with Bacillary Angiomatosis, when in fact the correct diagnosis in their specific case was Kaposi's Sarcoma.

Kaposi's sarcoma is a type of cancer that forms in the lining of blood and lymph vessels. It’s lesions typically appear as purplish spots on the legs, feet or face. It mainly occurs in patients with HIV or those taking immunosuppressant drugs. It can spread to the lungs, liver, stomach, intestines and lymph nodes. Antiretroviral treatment that targets the HIV itself is the best treatment for Kaposi’s sarcoma. Otherwise chemotherapy to target the lesions themselves. As the skin lesions themselves are the only specific symptom it can be misdiagnosed as other diseases that cause lesions of the skin such as bacillary angiomatosis. It also affects individuals with HIV which can increase the odds of misdiagnosis.

Always consult your doctor or health professional, and do not self diagnose.

Symptoms can include:

Elevated blotches or bumps on skin or mouth, chest pain, stomach or intestinal pain, blockage of digestive tract, lymphedema, cough, diarrhea

Symptoms are a guideline only and may apply to either the diagnosis or the reported misdiagnosis, or both. Consult your specialist for further information.

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