Update on Kaposi's Sarcoma: A Gammaherpesvirus- induced Malignancy.

Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has been one of the most visible manifestations of this disease and one of the most distressing for affected patients. The discovery in 1994 of a new gammaherpesvirus, called Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, has led to increased understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and the potential for new specific therapy. In addition, the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy has had a substantial impact on the incidence of KS in countries where it is available and on the course of established disease. Finally, recent advances in our understanding of angiogenesis have the potential of leading to new KS therapies. In this article we review some of the recent advances in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of KS, review the current treatment of this disease, and discuss several therapeutic approaches that are now under development.