Nursing challenges of caring for patients with HIV-related malignancies

As many as 40% of individuals infected with HIV will be diagnosed with a malignancy during the course of their illness. Although neoplasms of all organ systems have been reported in infected patients, Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma, and invasive squamous cell cervical carcinoma are considered to be diagnostic of AIDS in the presence of HIV infection. The rapidity with which these malignancies are diagnosed can affect the morbidity experienced by patients. The management of patients with AIDS-related malignancies poses several challenges for oncology nurses. First, most such patients are treated with either chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and use of these modalities is complicated by the underlying HIV infection. Second, patients with AIDS-related malignancies experience numerous symptoms, and again, management of these symptoms is compounded by the underlying disease. By applying their knowledge and experience, oncology nurses can greatly lessen morbidity in these patients.