What to Know About Radiation Therapy for Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Radiation therapy uses X-rays to kill cancer cells.

Radiation therapy is one way to treat Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). This treatment is also called radiotherapy. It uses X-rays to kill KS cells.

Radiation is a local treatment. That means it affects the cancer cells only in the area treated.

For this treatment, you see a radiation oncologist. This doctor specializes in the use of radiation to kill cancer cells. This doctor decides how often you need radiation and at what dose. Radiation that comes from a machine outside the body is called external beam radiation.

You may have radiation to treat lesions on your skin or in your mouth. KS lesions on the face or nose can be unsightly. Radiation can remove these lesions without changing your looks. You may also have radiation after surgery or to control symptoms such as bleeding, swelling, and pain.