Are Cancer Risks Higher for People Living with HIV/AIDS
For many years, scientists have been exploring the relationship between HIV/AIDS and various cancers. This complex connection stems from how the virus weakens the immune system, leaving folks more vulnerable. While there has been evidence of higher prevalence of certain cancers amongst people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), the actual mechanisms have thus far remained unclear.
Recently, a team from Hospital 12 de Octubre (H12O) and the National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) in Madrid, Spain found that Hepatitis B and C viral infections can cause multiple myeloma and its pathological precursors, monoclonal gammopathies. Additionally, they found that early detection of viral hepatitis and the use of antiretrovirals resulted in better health outcomes in general – taking care of the hepatitis and the monoclonal gammopathies/multiple myeloma at the same time.
This groundbreaking discovery comes shortly after the data was made available from the HIV/AIDS Cancer Match Study, which links United States’ HIV surveillance and cancer registry data from 2000 to 2019. Haas et al. examined this data and created a population-based linkage study which garnered the largest cohort to date for estimating anal cancer among PLWHA in the United States, with a cohort of 3,444 anal cancers diagnosed in patients with HIV. Of these 3,444 cases, 2,678 occurred in patients with a prior AIDS diagnosis.
Additionally, several cancers have been identified as AIDS-defining illnesses. The presence of these conditions indicates that the patient has reached the advanced stage of HIV infection known as AIDS. These include invasive cervical cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and some iterations of lymphoma (e.g. diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt or Burkitt-like lymphoma). A 2021 meta-analysis of twenty-four studies found that women with HIV are six times more likely to have cervical cancer than their counterparts without HIV. This is likely due to the inability to clear human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which can cause cervical cell changes if left untreated in some cases. According to Lymphoma Action, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is around fifteen times more common in PLWHA, while PLWHA are around 30 times more likely to develop Burkitt lymphoma.
As is often the case when living with HIV/AIDS and co-occurring conditions, early detection, open and frequent communication with healthcare providers, and HIV/AIDS treatment regimen adherence can make a significant difference in the duration and intensity of these conditions, so patients should be encouraged to be vigilant self-advocates when it comes to their health and wellness, and, when needed, identify resources among caregivers and community who might be able to assist in care advocacy.
Eddie Hamilton (left), Bill Arnold (right)
CANN would like to recognize the fierce advocacy of our colleague, friend, and former board member, Edward “Eddie” Hamilton (pictured). Eddie served on CANN’s Board of Directors from 2014 to 2022 and was the Founder and Executive Director of the ADAP Educational Initiative, which assisted clients enrolled under the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). In 2012, Eddie was honored as the ADAP Champion of the Year by ADAP Advocacy for fighting the Ohio Department of Health’s attempts to implement medical eligibility criteria to qualify for ADAP services. Eddie passed away on July 12, 2022, having had cancer twice. CANN continues to honor Eddie’s legacy as well as that of the late Bill Arnold (pictured right), who served as CANN’s founding President & CEO, by championing patient-centric action toward health equity and access.
