Trends in the incidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related malignancies in Thailand.
BACKGROUND
Thailand was one of the first Asian countries to be affected by the epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Furthermore, Thailand possesses a national cancer surveillance system based upon regional cancer registries.


METHODS
Data from five population-based cancer registries, covering one-fifth of the national population, were used to study trends in the incidence of malignancies related to HIV/AIDS in Thailand during the period 1989-2001.


RESULTS
Although the incidence of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) increased slightly from 1989-1991 to 1995-1997, KS remains a very rare malignancy in Thailand compared with other countries in which the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is much lower. The authors reported a marked increase in the incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and particularly high-grade/diffuse NHL. However, the largest increases in incidence were noted among individuals age >/= 55 years and in regions with a relatively low prevalence of HIV/AIDS.


CONCLUSIONS
The rarity of KS presumably reflected the low prevalence of the causative agent (i.e., KS-associated herpesvirus) in the Thai population. The increasing incidence of NHL may be related to the AIDS epidemic, although a similar increase is observed in many countries worldwide and is not specifically linked to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Sriplung
Hutcha
H
Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand.
Parkin
D Maxwell
DM
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016483:Lymphoma, AIDS-Related / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology