AIDS Defining Cancers

Question 1

What is Kaposi’s Sarcoma?

Answer 1

→ Rare tumor that is named after the dermatologist who first described it
→ The tumor is caused by the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)- an infection more likely to occur in people with compromised immunity- such as people with HIV or taking immunosuppressant drugs for an organ transplant
○ HHV8: numerous modes of transmission
- Sexually
- Non-sexually
→ People infected with HIV who have this sarcoma are thus diagnosed with AIDS (AIDS defining illness)
→ It is a vascular tumor
○ Involves blood vessels affecting soft tissue in multiple areas of the body
○ It originates from endothelial cells which line blood vessels

Question 2

What are the 4 main types of Kaposi’s Sarcoma?

Answer 2

• Classic KS (sporadic): Mediterranean Kaposi sarcoma (rare tumor found in older males)
• Epidemic KS (AIDS-associated): Most common for, also know as AIDS associated KS
• Endemic KS (African): People at risk are male adults and children of both sexes in equatorial Africa.
• Iatrogenic KS: also known as immunosuppressive treatment related KS

Question 3

How does the transmission of Kaposi’s Sarcoma take place?

Answer 3

• HHV8 infection is more likely in people with HIV infection due to their compromised immunity
  
  • Low CD4 count - HIV
  • Organ transplant recipients
  • Malaria
  • Malnutrition

Question 4

What is Cervical Carcinoma?

Answer 4

• Cancer of the cervix
• 2nd most common cancer in women worldwide
• Profiles like an STD because of STD dependent development

Question 5

How is cervical carcinoma transmitted?

Answer 5

• Human papillomavirus DNA required for development of cervical cancer
- All characterized strains of HPV only infect epithelial cells
○ Skin
○ Anogenital mucosa
○ Oropharyngeal mucosa
• HPV is a heterogeneous group of viruses that contain closed circular double stranded DNA

Question 6

What is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

Answer 6

• Cancer than originates in lymphatic system (disease fighting network) and spreads throughout the body
• Tumors develop from lymphocytes- type of WBC
• More common that the other general types of lymphoma
• Many different subtypes exist (most common includes diffuse large B cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma)

Question 7

What are the causes for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

Answer 7

• Occurs when the body produces too many abnormal lymphocytes
• Normally lymphocytes go through a predictable life cycle, in this lymphoma, the lymphocytes don’t die but continue to grow and divide (oversupply of lymphocytes crowds into lymph nodes causing swelling)
  
  • These lumps are called lymphomas
  • Lymphomas can also form in the bone marrow because that’s where WBC are produced

Question 8

Where can Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma begin?

Answer 8

• B cells:
  
  • They fight infection by producing antibodies that neutralize foreign invaders
  • Subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and Burkitt lymphoma
• T cells:
  
  • Involved in killing foreign invaders directly
  • Less often than B cells
  • Subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: peripheral T cell lymphoma, and cutaneous T cell lymphoma

Question 9

Factors Increasing risk of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Answer 9

→ Medications that suppress the immune system
→ Infection with certain viruses and bacteria
→ Chemicals
→ Older age

Question 10

Symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Answer 10

• Painless, swollen lymph nodes in neck, armpits, groin
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• Chest pain, coughing, trouble breathing
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Weight loss
• Burkitt lymphoma: type of high grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma