Breast cancer in women living with HIV

F. D’Andrea, M. Ceccarelli, A. Facciolà, G. Nunnari, G.F. Pellicanò, E. Venanzi Rullo

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. gnunnari@unime.it

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• Oncology

With the introduction of HAART, the life expectancy of the patients infected with HIV almost approached that of the general population. The incidence of certain HIV-Associated cancers as Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) decreased, while an increase in Non-AIDS-Defining cancers (NADCs) has been documented. HIV infection is a risk factor for numerous cancers in PLWH. Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide among all women. The association between HIV infection and breast cancer has not been thoroughly investigated: when compared to the general population, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have a similar or slightly lower risk of breast cancer. Screening tests are essential weapons to fight cancer burden and more effective therapeutic and preventive strategies are needed, especially among PLWHA. Further and more comprehensive studies are needed to better characterize breast cancer among PLWH.

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