DEAR DR. ROACH: I have Kaposi’s sarcoma. I do not have HIV. I have had several surgeries. The surgeon said he must take a large area. Now some small lesions are appearing again on my foot. Is there another way to treat this? I also am having some GI issues. Could they be related? I am going to see a cancer doctor to see if he can shed some light on this. — J.C.

ANSWER: Kaposi’s sarcoma is a cancer caused by a herpes virus, HHV-8. The lesions appear darkly colored; can be red, purple or brown; and most often appear on the feet. Kaposi’s sarcoma was classically described in older men, especially of Mediterranean or Central/Eastern European ancestry. It is also found in people with HIV, which is why you were tested.

KS can be treated surgically, but is typically treated locally with radiation, laser, liquid nitrogen or topical medications. When the disease is in many areas or is widespread, it is often treated with chemotherapy.

I am concerned about your description of GI issues, since KS may affect the stomach and intestines. This happens more in people with HIV and KS, but it can happen without HIV as well. I think a visit to an oncologist is a good idea, since there are so many options for treatment, and repeated surgeries are no longer commonly used.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I visited a young optometrist regarding an irritation to my left eye, suspecting I also required a change in my prescription. It was a new office, still somewhat disorganized. After examination, the optometrist informed me that my symptoms were likely eyestrain and a slight inflammation at the base of the eyelash. I required no medication, just an upgrade in prescription.

He also informed me that the cataracts in both eyes were not yet an issue. I had cataract surgery on both eyes 10 years ago! Should he not have been able to see that? — J.T.

ANSWER: A cataract is an opacity in the lens. In cataract surgery, the lens is replaced with an implant. If he did an exam, he should have seen that you have had surgery and have a lens implant. Sometimes eye-care professionals use the term “after cataract” to describe a posterior capsule opacity, which is different from a cataract, since it’s behind the lens. It’s hard to imagine that he mistook a cataract with an implant. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt, because that would be really an egregious error.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently went for a hearing test, and they recommended a hearing aid. I was told that if I didn’t get the hearing aid, my hearing loss would rapidly get worse. Is this true? — W.L.S.

ANSWER: I doubt it, and even if it were true, I’m not sure how they would know. Hearing aids don’t slow down hearing loss. It sounds like a heavy-handed sales pitch.

The decision to purchase a hearing aid should be made deliberately, and it’s especially important to find someone patient, trustworthy and experienced to help you. The most consistent advice I have heard from people who have gone through this process is to be patient, get adjustments as needed, be prepared to spend money and get an audiologist certified by the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association. I recommend finding a local chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America (www.hearingloss.org). You need to feel comfortable that the hearing aid is there to help you.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or request an order form of available health newsletters at 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. Health newsletters may be ordered from www.rbmamall.com.

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