Cancer And HIV/AIDS A Tale Of Two Diseases

Cancer And HIV/AIDS A Tale Of Two Diseases

Thanks to better treatments, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer. Although, fewer people now die from AIDS, cancer is emerging as an important cause of death for the infected population. This can be attributed to the fact that these individuals often have more exposure to other viruses or agents that cause cancer, their immune systems are somewhat weakened and the risk of cancer increases with age. However, types of cancer that have traditionally been associated with AIDS progression are on the decline in the HIV/AIDS population while other types of cancer are on the rise. The most common non-AIDS-defining cancers in patients with HIV are anal, lung and liver cancers. As well as Hodgkin lymphoma. In 2001 through 2005, these four cancers made up nearly half of all non-AIDS-defining cancers.

In order to combat the increasing rates of cancer in individuals infected with HIV/AIDS, medical experts recommend prevention, screening, treatment and avoiding exposure to other risk factors.