Diagnosis of Kaposi Sarcoma
The disease has become so rare that not every doctor has seen it. Its rarity can lead to patients being seen by multiple doctors before getting a diagnosis. As with all cancers, early diagnosis can improve outcomes and lessen the risk of the disease spreading to other organs.

If you have signs of Kaposi sarcoma, a doctor will do a physical examination of your skin, mouth and rectum. The doctor will also check your lymph nodes.

Skin biopsy. During this procedure, small pieces of tissue will be removed from the lesion(s). A pathologist will examine the samples in a lab to confirm the presence of Kaposi sarcoma.

Chest X-ray. Since Kaposi sarcoma commonly spreads to the lungs, most patients will receive a chest X-ray. This noninvasive test may be used even if there appears to be no lung involvement.

Bronchoscopy. If the chest X-ray shows an abnormality, or if you’re coughing up blood or having breathing problems, your doctor may order a bronchoscopy to look at your trachea and airways in greater detail.

Endoscopy. An upper endoscopy and/or colonoscopy may be required if you have blood in the stool, abdominal pain or anemia.

In the past, it was much more common for patients with Kaposi sarcoma to have more advanced stages of disease. Today, only about 20 percent of patients have tumors beyond their skin or lymph nodes. This decrease in advanced disease has largely resulted from the success of antiretroviral therapies.