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Published on: September 14, 2010
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Laser Therapy for Cutaneous Kaposi Sarcoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Tomer Mimouni1, Meital Oren-Shabtai1,2, Aviv Barzilai1,3
1Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
Cancers
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Laser therapy shows promise for treating Kaposi sarcoma (KS) skin lesions, with high response rates and minimal side effects. Further research is needed to standardize protocols for this human herpesvirus-8-associated malignancy.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Oncology
- Vascular Malignancies
Background:
- Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a human herpesvirus-8-associated vascular malignancy.
- Limited standard treatments exist for cutaneous KS lesions.
- Laser therapy is a potential minimally invasive option with unclear efficacy and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the efficacy and safety of laser therapy for cutaneous KS.
- Analyze available literature on laser treatment protocols for KS.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search up to August 2025.
- Included randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and case series (≥3 patients).
- Extracted data on patient/disease characteristics, laser protocols, outcomes, and adverse events.
Main Results:
- Eight studies with 79 patients and 371 treated lesions were reviewed.
- Pooled response rate of 88% (95% CI: 44.1-98.6%) in meta-analysis.
- Laser therapy generally well-tolerated with minimal adverse effects; Nd:YAG showed good efficacy with low recurrence.
Conclusions:
- Laser therapy may be a safe and effective option for cutaneous KS.
- Nd:YAG laser demonstrated particular efficacy with low recurrence rates.
- Further research is required to precisely define efficacy and standardize treatment protocols.
