Cancer diagnostic service use in people with HIV in South Africa: a cross-sectional study

The objective of this study was to map place of cancer diagnosis in relation to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) care centre among people with HIV (PWH) within South Africa (SA) using national laboratory database.

We linked HIV and cancer laboratory data from 2004-2014 using supervised machine-learning algorithms. We performed a cross-sectional analysis comparing province where individuals accessed their HIV care versus where they had their cancer diagnosis.

We used laboratory test records related to HIV diagnostics and care, such as CD4 cell counts and percentages, rapid tests, qualitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), antibody and antigen tests for HIV data that was documented as HIV positive and laboratory diagnosed cancer records from SA.

Our study population consisted of HIV records from the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) that linked to cancer record at the National Cancer Registry (NCR) between 2004- 2014.

We linked HIV records from NHLS to cancer records at NCR in order to study the inherent characteristics of the population with both HIV and cancer.

The study population was 68,284 individuals with cancer and documented HIV related laboratory test. The median age at cancer diagnosis was 40 [IQR, 33-48] years for the study population with most cancers in PWH diagnosed in females 70.9% [n=46,313]. Of all the PWH and cancer, 25% (n=16,364 p < 0.001) sought treatment outside their province of residence with 60.7% (n=10,235) travelling to Gauteng. KZN had 46.6% (n=4,107) of its PWH getting cancer diagnosis in Gauteng. Western Cape had 95% (n=6,200) of PWH getting cancer diagnosis within the province.

Our results showed health systems inequalities across provinces in South Africa with respect to cancer diagnosis. KZN for example had nearly half of the PWH getting cancer diagnosis outside the province while Western Cape is able to offer cancer diagnostic services to most of the PWH in the province. Gauteng is getting over burdened with referral for cancer diagnosis from other provinces. More effort is required to ensure equitable access to cancer diagnostic services within the country.