Trends in malignancies among patients having human immunodeficiency virus infection attending a tertiary care hospital in southwest India

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients show an increased propensity for certain cancers, grouped asAIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) and non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs). The recent finding indicates a shift from ADC to NADC, with a stable incidence of ADCs. There is minimal data about the distribution of malignancies among people living with HIV/AIDS in India. The study aims to evaluate the distribution of malignancies among people living with HIV infection. Methods: A retrospective, single-center hospital record–based study was conducted in southwest India at a tertiary care hospital from 2016 to 2019. Out of the 1385 HIV-positive patients who sought treatment during the study period, data from 57 HIV-positive patients with cancer were retrospectively assessed from the Medical Records Division. Results: In the present study, 54% HIV patients received antiretroviral therapy before cancer diagnosis, and most of the malignancies diagnosed were ADCs compared to NADCs (59.6% vs 40.4%, respectively). Among ADCs, 29 (85%) were non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases, and five (14%) were cervical cancer cases. In contrast, none of the patients had Kaposi sarcoma. However, NADCs were diagnosed in 23 (40%) patients, and the most common sites were the breast and lungs. Conclusion: The study concluded that HIV-infected patients are most likely to develop ADCs.