[Malignancies in adult patients with common variable immunodeficiency]

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) implies an increased risk of cancer, with an estimated incidence of 11-13%, particularly during the 5th and 6th decade of life. B cell-Hodgkin lymphomas are the more frequent cancer, followed by non-Hodgkin lymphoma and epithelial tumors (gastric, breast, bladder and cervix).

To describe the types of cancers in a cohort of adult patients with CVID.

An observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study was made in which we reviewed the charts of patients with CVID attending the Primary Immunodeficiencies Clinic at Specialties Hospital Dr. Bernardo Sepulveda, Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Mexico City.

There were included 23 patients with CVID diagnosis, 13 women (56%) and 10 men (44%), with an average age of 36.7 years. Four patients developed malignancies (2 men and 2 women), with a prevalence of 17.3%. The types of cancers in this group of patients were: B cell-Hodgkin lymphoma (1/23), neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas (1/23), myeloid chronic leukemia (1/23) and thyroid papillary carcinoma (1/23). In two of the subjects the diagnosis of cancer was established previous to CVID diagnosis. The average age of diagnosis of cancer was 27 years (19-34 years).

In our patients we found different types of malignancies compared to previously described. We consider necessary a screening protocol for an early diagnosis of cancer in these patients. The frequency of cancer in our population was the same as reported in the literature.