[HIV-related lymphoma in a public hospital in Chile. Analysis of 55 cases].

BACKGROUND

Cancer is the third cause of death in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and lymphoma is the most common type.

AIM: To describe the clinical characteristics, histology, risk factors and prognosis of these patients, in a Chilean public hospital in Chile.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Records of 55 patients (45 males) aged between 23 and 67 years with lymphoma and HIV positive serology, diagnosed between 1992-2008, were reviewed.

RESULTS

Six patients (11%) had Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and the rest, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). B-cell phenotype constituted 83.7% of NHL cases. The most common subtypes of all the lymphoma were diffuse large B cell lymphoma in 24 cases (43.6%), Burkitt lymphoma in 12 cases (21.8%), and plasmablastic lymphoma in 5 cases (9.1%). Thirty five patients (64%) underwent curative intended chemotherapy (CT) concomitantly with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Three year survival of the whole cohort was 27%. By multivariate analysis, the most important prognostic factors for long term survival, were complete responses to CT, (p < 0.01) and a low international prognostic index (IPI) score for NHL, (p = 0.01). HAART, histologic subtype and CD4 lymphocyte count at diagnosis, did not influence survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The most important prognostic factors for HIV patients with lymphoma, were achieving CR with CT and low IPI score. Prognosis remains poor, even with HAART therapy.