According to the largest study of cancer incidence trends in the United States, the cancer rates in HIV-positive individuals increased dramatically over time. Those living with HIV have a sixty-times higher cancer rate compared with the general population for certain cancers. Incidence rates are expected to increase even higher as those infected with HIV are living longer.

The study identified nine non-AIDS defining cancers that are significantly more likely to be diagnosed in HIV-positive individuals than in the general population. These cancers were: anal cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, liver cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancer, renal (kidney) and colorectal cancer.

It is important for individuals living with HIV to screen for cancer as part of their health regimen to help early detection and treatment.

Incidence of types of cancer among HIV-infected persons compared with the general population in the United States, 1992-2003. Annals of Internal Medicine 148 (10; 728-736, 2008.

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