Pancreatic cancer in HIV-positive patients: a clinical case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth and fifth most common cause of cancer-related death among men in United States and in Europe, respectively. No data are available for HIV-positive patients. The aim of this study was to investigate and to compare clinical presentation and outcome between HIV-positive and HIV-negative PC patients.


METHODS
From April 1988 to June 2010, the Italian Cooperative Group on AIDS and Tumors identified 16 cases of HIV-positive PC patients. Each HIV-positive patient from our institution was randomly matched (ratio 1:2) with HIV-negative patients (32 controls) based on sex and year of PC diagnosis. Differences in clinical presentation, treatment, and overall survival were assessed.


RESULTS
At multivariate analysis, HIV-positive patients compared with HIV-negative patients had a higher risk of an unfavorable performance status (PS ≥ 2) and a younger age (<50 years) at cancer diagnosis. At multivariate analysis, HIV-positive status and PS of 2 or greater were the only 2 features that significantly reduced PC patients' survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show, for the first time, that HIV-positive PC patients, compared with HIV-negative patients, are younger at cancer diagnosis. Furthermore, they share a more unfavorable PS and a shorter survival.
Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy. 00bernius00@virgilio.it
Ernesto
E
Zanet
Massimiliano
M
Berretta
Fabrizio Di
FD
Benedetto
Renato
R
Talamini
Roberto
R
Ballarin
Giuseppe
G
Nunnari
Salvatore
S
Berretta
Annalisa
A
Ridolfo
Arben
A
Lleshi
Antonio
A
Zanghì
Alessandro
A
Cappellani
Umberto
U
Tirelli
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents