Deaths Due to Screenable Cancers Among People Living With HIV Infection, Florida, 2000-2014

Because of antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV infection are surviving longer and are at higher risk for chronic diseases. This study's objective was to assess the magnitude of deaths due to cancers for which there are screening recommendations for people living with HIV in Florida.

Florida Department of Health Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System data were matched with Department of Health Vital Records and the National Death Index to identify deaths and their causes through 2014. The sex-specific and cause-specific mortality rates and indirect standardized mortality ratios (SMRs, using U.S. mortality rates as a standard) were calculated during 2016 for people reported with HIV infection 2000-2014.

Despite the competing risk of HIV mortality, among the 25,678 females, there was a higher risk of cervical (SMR=6.32, 95% CI=4.63, 8.44), colorectal (SMR=2.05, 95% CI=1.44, 2.83), liver (SMR=8.96, 95% CI=5.39, 14.03), and lung (SMR=5.82, 95% CI=4.80, 6.96) cancer mortality and lower risk of breast cancer mortality (SMR=0.57, 95% CI=0.42, 0.76). Among 63,493 males, there was a higher risk of liver (SMR=5.50, 95% CI=4.47, 6.70) and lung (4.63, 95% CI=4.11, 5.19) cancer mortality. Among males, the lung cancer SMR significantly declined 2000-2014 (p<0.05), but was still high in 2012-2014 (SMR=3.59, 95% CI=2.87, 4.43).

These results indicate the importance of primary and secondary cancer prevention during primary care for people living with HIV infection.