19/8/2026
Uganda Cancer Institute says Kaposi sarcoma, associated with the locally known “Kisipi”, remains a major cancer problem among men, along with esophageal and prostate cancer.
Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a cancer that can cause abnormal patches or lesions on the skin and inside the body, remains a major concern among Ugandan men.
Health experts are linking the burden to HIV, weakened immunity and poorer access to antiretroviral treatment among men.
The cancer is caused by Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). The virus is found in the lesions of people with KS, although most people infected with it never develop the cancer.
In Uganda, the condition is associated with what is locally referred to in Luganda as “Kisipi”, according to Dr Alfred Jatho, the Head of Community Cancer Services at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).
Jatho said recent UCI findings show that KS remains one of the common cancers affecting Ugandan men. He cited prostate, oesophageal and liver cancers among the other leading cancers in men.
