According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), people infected with HIV are substantially more at risk for developing some types of cancer. In fact, doctors define acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in part by the development of certain types of cancer because they so rarely occur in people with normal immune systems. Because the immune system plays a key role in preventing the development of certain types of cancer, diminished immunity caused by HIV infection is often associated with some cancers.
Kaposi's Sarcoma
One type of cancer that is used as an "AIDS-defining cancer" in men is Kaposi's sarcoma. The NCI reports that people who are HIV-positive are 800 times more likely to develop Kaposi's sarcoma. The NCI describes Kaposi's sarcoma as a type of cancer in which the blood vessels grow abnormally and cause skin or internal lesions. The Mayo Clinic reports that Kaposi's sarcoma usually appears as pink, purple or red lesions on the mouth and skin. Men with darker skin often have lesions that appear brown or black. Kaposi's sarcoma can also cause lesions in the digestive tract and lungs.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
The NCI reports that another AIDS-defining cancer that affects men is non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. According to TheBody.com, an online HIV/AIDS resource for the general public, this type of cancer is also called "AIDS-related lymphoma." Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma stems from lymphocytes, also called white blood cells, which are immune system cells. This type of cancer is usually marked by large lymph nodes, and may be accompanied by fever and weight loss.
Anal Cancer
Though not an AIDS-defining cancer, rates of anal cancer are higher in HIV-positive men. A study lead by Dr. Christophe Piketty, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues from Georges Pompidou European Hospital in France published in 2003 in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases provides some evidence that the prevalence of a type of anal cancer is increased in HIV-positive men. Dr. Piketty and colleagues showed that HIV-positive men had an increased prevalence of a particular type of cancerous anal lesions, called squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL). TheBody.com reports that those infected with HIV are 30 to 50 times more likely to have anal cancer.
References
- The National Cancer Institute: HIV Infection and Cancer Risk
- The Mayo Clinic: HIV/AIDS: Complications
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases; High Prevalence of Anal Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in HIV-Positive Men Despite the Use of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy; C. Piketty, T. Darragh, I. Heard, M. Da Costa, P. Bruneval, M. Kazatchkine, J. Palefsky; Feb. 2004.
