Cancers in elite controllers: appropriate follow-up is essential

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Elite controllers, individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who maintain low viral loads without antiretroviral therapy, may experience non-AIDS-defining comorbidities.
• Cancer development is a concern in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) population, even in those with controlled viral replication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the types and characteristics of cancers diagnosed in cohorts of elite and viremic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) controllers.
• To compare cancer incidence and types in HIV controllers with those reported in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated patients and HIV-negative individuals.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series analysis of 18 cancer diagnoses.
• Inclusion of patients from two cohorts: elite controllers and viremic controllers.
• Comparison of observed cancer types with existing literature.

Main Results:

• Eighteen cases of cancer were diagnosed across both elite and viremic controller groups.
• The spectrum of cancers observed was similar to those typically seen in patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
• Cancer types were also comparable to those found in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative populations.

Conclusions:

• Elite human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) controllers are susceptible to non-AIDS-defining cancers.
• The findings underscore the importance of regular cancer screening and follow-up for all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals, irrespective of viral load control.
• Proactive monitoring is essential for managing comorbidities in long-term human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) management.