Lung cancer in patients seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus

The authors describe the clinical and radiographic findings of lung carcinoma in six patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These patients were in a younger age group than is commonly associated with lung cancer. The radiographic findings included mediastinal adenopathy (n = 5), hilar masses with distal atelectasis (n = 3), parenchymal masses (n = 3), pleural effusions (n = 2), and pleural thickening (n = 1). Recognition of any of these findings should raise the diagnostic possibility of lung cancer in this group of younger patients.