Safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in persons with HIV at a single, tertiary care cancer center in the United States.

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has demonstrated safety and efficacy in a variety of malignancies, including cancers affecting patients with HIV (PWH). However, there is limited data directly comparing outcomes of ICI use between cancer patients with versus without HIV.

METHODS

Real-world retrospective data were used to compare clinical outcomes between 24 PWH and cancer and 24 matched cancer patients without HIV, all treated with ICI therapy at a large tertiary cancer center in Florida.

RESULTS

Adverse event rates did not differ by HIV status. Overall response (complete or partial response) to ICI therapy was observed in 29% of PWH compared to 38% of people without HIV (PWoH), but this difference was not statistically significant. The overall survival at end of study follow-up by HIV status was similar between both groups (63% in PWH and 67% in PWoH).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that HIV status alone should not preclude use of ICI therapy to improve prognosis among PWH and cancer.