[Lung cancer in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Clinical course and therapeutic implications].

OBJECTIVES

HIV infection is associated with increased frequency of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma. Like other malignancies, lung cancer has been described in HIV-infected patients although no evidence of a statistical correlation has been reported.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 15 HIV-infected patients with lung cancer. The patients were relatively younger (mean age 45 years) than is commonly found in lung cancer cohorts.

RESULTS

The 15 patients had mild immunodepression (240 CD4+/mm3) and were in advanced clinical stage at diagnosis. Mean overall survival was 6 months and no clinical or biological prognostic factors were found. Death was usually due to infection, suggesting a synergetic effect between HIV and chemotherapy-induced immunodepression.

CONCLUSION

We propose early antiretroviral therapy in cases of chemotherapy-treated HIV patients, even when commonly accepted immunological and/or clinical criteria are absent.