Patterns of malignancies in patients with HIV-AIDS: a single institution observational study

Abstract

India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world because of its large population size, with 0.3% of the adult population infected with HIV. at translates to 2.1 million infected people, posing a signi‚cant challenge in the management of these individuals.1 In all, 43% of the infected are currently on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).1 ere has been a signi‚cant decrease in the number of HIV-AIDS–related deaths in recent years because of the remarkable increase in the use of antiretroviral therapy.2 However, the prolonged life expectancy in these patients has resulted in an increase in the risk of various new diseases such as cancers. With the complex interactions between altered immunity and infections, the risk of cancers is markedly increased in patients with HIV-AIDS.3 e spectrum of malignancies in this group of patients diŒers from that in the general population. In addition, the pattern and the magnitude of malignancies diŒer in diŒerent parts of the world.4 In this study, we have analyzed the pattern of malignancies in patients with HIVAIDS in a regional cancer center in India. e aim of the study was to analyze the pattern of malignancies in patients with HIV-AIDS based on their age and sex and to document the CD4 counts at the time the malignancy was diagnosed.