Damaged Chromosomes Found in Kaposi’s Tumors
From Times staff and wire reports
Kaposi’s sarcoma, the once-rare form of cancer that has become a hallmark of AIDS, is characterized by specific chromosomal breaks that may be useful in early identification of the disease, according to researchers from the National Cancer Institute. Molecular biologist Nicholas C. Popescu and his colleagues report in the April 3 Journal of the National Cancer Institute that the tumors have specific deletions in the so-called short arm of Chromosome 3, similar to breaks observed in other tumors.
Other researchers have recently suggested that Kaposi’s is caused by a virus called human herpesvirus 8. The virus, experts said, may trigger the chromosome damage.
