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Care Outcomes in People Living with HIV and Cancer

  • Transplant/Immunocompromised Hosts (M Morales, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

The evolving epidemiology of people living with HIV (PLWH) shows growing trends towards age-related conditions and diseases. As antiretroviral therapies (ART) have improved, AIDS-related cancers have declined but non-AIDS-related cancers are on the rise. Despite advances in HIV care, there continues to be significant health outcome disparities between PLWH with cancer compared to the general population. This literature review aims to highlight evidence on healthcare and biological risk factors, such as screening rates, age at diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, ART treatment, and cancer treatment that could be contributing to disparities in cancer outcomes.

Recent findings

Engagement in HIV care with early initiation and continuous adherence to ART impacts diagnosis and progression of cancer and cancer type, morbidity, and mortality. Unfortunately, early cancer detection may still not reduce the adverse cancer outcomes among PLWH since receipt of any cancer treatment and guideline-concordant cancer treatment are frequently lower among PLWH than the general population.

Summary

Integrated, multidisciplinary clinics for PLWH and cancer, as described in this review, may offer one way to meet the changing needs of this population. Other strategies that can help improve diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cancer among the 1.2 million PLWH in the USA are imperative.

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References and Recommended Reading

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Acknowledgements

Data included in this manuscript was supported in part by the Proposed Research Initiated by Students and Mentors (PRISM) Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine Office of Student Research. The data from UMGCCC multidisciplinary clinic were presented in part at IDWeek 2018 in San Francisco, CA, from October 3 to 7, 2018.

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Author notes

  1. Helen W. Cheung MD

    Present address: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Kareshma Mohanty ScM, Helen W. Cheung MD, Kristen A. Stafford PhD, MPH & David J. Riedel MD, MPH

  2. Institute of Human Virology, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Kristen A. Stafford PhD, MPH & David J. Riedel MD, MPH

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  1. Kareshma Mohanty ScM
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  2. Helen W. Cheung MD
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Correspondence to Kareshma Mohanty ScM.

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Kareshma Mohanty declares that she has no conflict of interest. Helen W. Cheung declares that she has no conflict of interest. Kristen A. Stafford declares that she has no conflict of interest. David J. Riedel declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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Mohanty, K., Cheung, H.W., Stafford, K.A. et al. Care Outcomes in People Living with HIV and Cancer. Curr Treat Options Infect Dis 13, 83–99 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40506-021-00252-x

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