title: Spectrum of AIDS defining & non-AIDS defining malignancies in north India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is scarcity of data on the frequency of malignancies in HIV infected individuals from India. The objective of this study was to determine the type and frequency of malignancies in HIV infected individuals attending a tertiary care hospital in north India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design included retrospective analysis of data of all HIV infected individuals registered in the Immunodeficiency clinic from December 2009 to December 2011 and a prospective analysis of HIV infected individuals registered from January 2012 to April 2013. The clinical details and treatment outcomes of all individuals diagnosed to have AIDS defining and non-AIDS defining malignancies were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records of 2880 HIV infected individuals were reviewed. Thirty one (19 males, 12 females) individuals were diagnosed to have malignancy. AIDS defining malignancy was found in the form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 12 individuals and cervical cancer in six women. Non-AIDS defining malignancies included Hodgkin's lymphoma (n=2); and chronic myelogenous leukaemia, carcinoma base of tongue, carcinoma larynx, carcinoma bronchus, sinonasal carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, anal carcinoma, carcinoma urinary bladder, pleomorphic sarcoma, parathyroid adenoma, and renal cell carcinoma in one individual each. Mean CD4+cell count prior to ART initiation was 250 ± 195.6 (median: 187; range, 22-805) cells/μl and at the time of diagnosis of malignancy was 272 ± 202 (median: 202; range, 15-959) cells/μl. The mean CD4+ count of individuals with AIDS defining malignancy was significantly lower when compared with non-AIDS defining malignancy (P<0.001). Fourteen individuals were alive and on regular follow up, 15 had died and two cases were lost to follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of malignancies in HIV infected patients at our centre was 1 per cent, with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma being the commonest. Further studies need to be done to document similar data from different parts of the country.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Ravinder Kaur
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Aman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Surjit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varma
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers