Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options
Introduction: Kaposi sarcoma is a multicentric angioproliferative disease associated with human herpesvirus 8 and often exacerbated by immunosuppression. Effective treatment includes systemic and local therapies, with laser treatments gaining prominence in dermatological practice. Objectives: Thi...
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Mattioli1885
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Dermatology Practical & Conceptual |
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| Online Access: | https://dpcj.org/index.php/dpc/article/view/5332 |
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| author | Chiara Battilotti Fortunato Cassalia Francesca Svara Alessandra Latini Norma Cameli Steven Paul Nisticò |
| author_facet | Chiara Battilotti Fortunato Cassalia Francesca Svara Alessandra Latini Norma Cameli Steven Paul Nisticò |
| author_sort | Chiara Battilotti |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction: Kaposi sarcoma is a multicentric angioproliferative disease associated with human herpesvirus 8 and often exacerbated by immunosuppression. Effective treatment includes systemic and local therapies, with laser treatments gaining prominence in dermatological practice.
Objectives: This narrative review evaluates the efficacy and safety of laser treatment modalities in the management of cutaneous and mucosal KS lesions to guide dermatological decision making.
Methods: A comprehensive English-language literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus up to November 2024. Search terms included “Kaposi’s sarcoma”, “laser therapy” and “laser treatment”. Case reports and observational studies with defined patient characteristics, standardized laser protocols, and documented outcomes were included.
Results: The Nd:YAG laser emerged as the leading modality for thick, nodular KS lesions, demonstrating deep tissue penetration and high efficacy with minimal adverse effects. Pulsed dye laser was highly effective for superficial cutaneous and mucosal lesions, with excellent cosmetic outcomes and minimal recurrence. The CO₂ laser showed promise in ablating small lesions but had limitations due to scarring risks and potential biohazard concerns. Argon lasers were historically important but are now less favored due to lower specificity for vascular targets and higher risk of non-vascular tissue damage.
Conclusions: Laser therapy offers versatile and effective treatment options for KS. Nd:YAG and PDL lasers are particularly promising due to their high efficacy, favorable safety profiles and low recurrence rates. Further research is needed to refine laser protocols and validate long-term outcomes in different patient populations.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8f1e2bfc6e3145fa9d016e0bc6aaf243 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2160-9381 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Mattioli1885 |
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| series | Dermatology Practical & Conceptual |
| spelling | doaj-art-8f1e2bfc6e3145fa9d016e0bc6aaf2432025-08-20T04:02:51ZengMattioli1885Dermatology Practical & Conceptual2160-93812025-07-0115310.5826/dpc.1503a5332Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic OptionsChiara Battilotti0Fortunato Cassalia1Francesca Svara2Alessandra Latini3Norma Cameli4Steven Paul Nisticò5Department of Dermatology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;Unit of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy;Department of Dermatology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;Department of Dermatology, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute-IRCCS, 00144 Rome, Italy;Department of Dermatology, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute-IRCCS, 00144 Rome, Italy;Department of Dermatology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; Introduction: Kaposi sarcoma is a multicentric angioproliferative disease associated with human herpesvirus 8 and often exacerbated by immunosuppression. Effective treatment includes systemic and local therapies, with laser treatments gaining prominence in dermatological practice. Objectives: This narrative review evaluates the efficacy and safety of laser treatment modalities in the management of cutaneous and mucosal KS lesions to guide dermatological decision making. Methods: A comprehensive English-language literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus up to November 2024. Search terms included “Kaposi’s sarcoma”, “laser therapy” and “laser treatment”. Case reports and observational studies with defined patient characteristics, standardized laser protocols, and documented outcomes were included. Results: The Nd:YAG laser emerged as the leading modality for thick, nodular KS lesions, demonstrating deep tissue penetration and high efficacy with minimal adverse effects. Pulsed dye laser was highly effective for superficial cutaneous and mucosal lesions, with excellent cosmetic outcomes and minimal recurrence. The CO₂ laser showed promise in ablating small lesions but had limitations due to scarring risks and potential biohazard concerns. Argon lasers were historically important but are now less favored due to lower specificity for vascular targets and higher risk of non-vascular tissue damage. Conclusions: Laser therapy offers versatile and effective treatment options for KS. Nd:YAG and PDL lasers are particularly promising due to their high efficacy, favorable safety profiles and low recurrence rates. Further research is needed to refine laser protocols and validate long-term outcomes in different patient populations. https://dpcj.org/index.php/dpc/article/view/5332Kaposi's sarcoma, Laser therapy, Pulsed dye laser, PDL, Nd:YAG laser |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Battilotti Fortunato Cassalia Francesca Svara Alessandra Latini Norma Cameli Steven Paul Nisticò Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options Dermatology Practical & Conceptual Kaposi's sarcoma, Laser therapy, Pulsed dye laser, PDL, Nd:YAG laser |
| title | Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options |
| title_full | Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options |
| title_fullStr | Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options |
| title_full_unstemmed | Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options |
| title_short | Laser Therapy Approaches in the Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review of Dermatologic Options |
| title_sort | laser therapy approaches in the treatment of kaposi s sarcoma a comprehensive review of dermatologic options |
| topic | Kaposi's sarcoma, Laser therapy, Pulsed dye laser, PDL, Nd:YAG laser |
| url | https://dpcj.org/index.php/dpc/article/view/5332 |
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