Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the blood stream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the original site. Radiation therapy is a common treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma. Radiation therapy uses high dose x-rays or other high energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy is best suited for the patient with a single or a few locally symptomatic areas. Finally, biological therapy is used to treat KS by using the body's immune system to fight cancer.
Biological therapy tries to get the body to fight the cancer.
It uses materials made by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against the disease. In conclusion, AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma is a chronic disease which requires different treatments at different stages of its course. A major consequence of treating Kaposi's sarcoma is disfigurement. These scars can be physically or mentally debilitating. For the AIDS patient, coping with some of the psychosocial consequences may be extremely difficult.