Lung cancer in association with human immunodeficiency virus infection

The association of lung cancer and infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is uncommon. This report and critical review of the medical literature defines a clinical profile of 22 patients affected with this uncommon association. This clinical profile includes young age (median, 38 years), intravenous drug abuse (14 of 22 patients), preponderance of adenocarcinoma over other cell subtypes (11 of 22 patients), and advanced clinical stage at presentation (10 of 15 patients with staging data had Stage III or IV disease). This study also examines a possible increased risk for lung cancer in patients infected by HIV. Continued surveillance and reporting of lung tumors (other than lymphomas and Kaposi sarcomas) in patients infected by HIV should help to define the frequency of the association and the validity of the clinical profile.