Kaposi's Sarcoma

Kaposi's on face

Kaposi's Sarcoma (pronounced "cap-o-zeez") is a tumor composed of numerous tiny blood vessels. It tends to be dark red or deep purple. It may be flat, or a swollen mass. These growths are not generally painful unless secondarily infected by another type of Herpes or bacteria. Thus good oral hygiene is important in the management of these tumors.

Kaposi's on arm

Kaposi's occurs most frequently on the skin, although tumors can occur in the gastrointestinal tract and mouth. In the oral cavity, the lesions occur mostly on the palate (the roof of the mouth). Although they are technically a form of cancer, there is evidence that they are, in fact the result of a secondary infection with Herpes virus type VIII. This virus is found in high concentration in the saliva of infected individuals and can cause Kaposi's Sarcoma only in patients with very compromised immune systems. Some recent research has shown that this virus is transferred through deep kissing.

Worried about oral cancer? Click here

Kaposi's tumors are seen almost exclusively in gay men with AIDS. The occurrence of one of these lesions anywhere on the body of a young man is indicative of the presence of HIV. Kaposi's is infrequent in women, even women with AIDS. It is also rare in men who have contracted AIDS via intravenous drug use. It is not known why women and heterosexual males with AIDS do not generally succumb to Kaposi's sarcoma, although there is probably an association between the gay lifestyle and the transfer of the herpes type 8 virus. These lesions occur as the initial manifestation of AIDS in approximately 11% of patients. Prior to the AIDS epidemic, they were seen (rarely) only on the lower extremities of elderly men.

If you are concerned about bad breath, see my full page on the types of bad breath, their causes and the cures for halitosis

To see pictures of other tongue problems click here.

Worried about other lumps, bumps or sores in your mouth? Click Here.

Want to understand dental insurance? Click here.

No dental insurance?
What is dental
insurance and how
does it work?

Are your fillings
killing you?
Is mercury ruining your life??

Is Fluoride poison?
Should it be illegal?

Do Root Canals cause multiple sclerosis or other diseases?
Click here to find out.

Are dentures better than real teeth?
Should you have all your teeth pulled and get false teeth?

Bad breath?
What is causing your bad breath, and how can you treat it?

Cure your dry mouth for Free
Click here to find out how.

All material on this web site is protected by copyright and is registered with the US Copyright office. All personal uses, including public and academic presentations, are permitted. This fair use permission applies to oral and written reports, dissertations and theses for students in public and private schools, elementary and high schools, colleges and graduate schools. It also applies to teachers wishing to print this material for classroom and course work. Acknowledgement of this website as the source for this material during presentations is not required, but would be appreciated. Any dentist or other professional who finds this material useful is welcome to print and distribute it to patients, or to refer their patients to this website.

Written requests for publication on the internet or other mass media (including printed publications) will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Internet and printed publication IS permitted (without permission, but with attribution) if it is part of a qualified academic dissertation, but any other internet or mass media use of this material without written permission is STRICTLY prohibited. Requests for such usage may be forwarded to me using the e-mail button in the right shared border. If permission is granted, you must credit me for the use of the material and link to this website prominently from your own. Dentists and web developers who cut and paste content and/or images from doctorspiller.com into their own websites and claim them as their own are forewarned that this may result in legal action.

Web developers may NOT copy the content or images from this website for use in developing commercial websites for other dentists or health care providers. This activity is strictly illegal! Copyright law provides that owners of registered copyrighted material may sue for monetary damages. This website is registered with the US Copyright office in its entirety (Certificate of Registration: TX0006443750), and copies are regularly updated and maintained at the Library of Congress.

Click here for more information concerning the copyright on this material.

DISCLAIMER: Statements made on this web site are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be substituted for the advice of a medical professional. Information and statements have not been evaluated by the American Dental Association or any federal regulation agency and are not intended to diagnose, or treat any disease or medical condition. This is a personal website written by an individual dental professional whose intention is to enlighten the public with generally accepted, mainstream medical/dental information. I do not claim to represent the opinions of all dental or medical professionals. No website is a substitute for a visit to a living, breathing dentist or physician who can deal with you personally.