Head and neck cancers amongst HIV-positive patients: a 5 year retrospective study
Date
2017
Authors
Zwane, Nompumelelo B
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Abstract
Oral manifestations of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are common, although since the introduction of HAART, a decline in opportunistic infections has been observed. This decline is more evident in resource-rich than poorly resourced countries. Aids-Defining-Cancer (ADC) cases have also declined in resource-rich countries; however there has been a sharp increase in Non-Aids-Defining-Cancer (NADC) cases.
Aim: The study was to profile and characterize head and neck cancers (HNCs) among HIV- positive cases diagnosed in the Department of Oral Pathology, WOHC, from 2009 – 2013.
Methods: This was a records-based retrospective descriptive study with an analytic component. Archived records from the Department of Oral Pathology were reviewed. HIV serology results as well as CD4+T-cell counts and the viral load were verified from NHLS’s archived records.
Results: A total of 1605 cases of HNC were recorded, of which 389 (24.2%) were HIV- positive. The mean age of the patient sample was 51.7 ± 16.4 years. Of the 389 confirmed HIV-positive cases, 52.3% were females and 47.7% were males. Univariate multinomial regression analysis of the morphological type of cancer showed that the likelihood of patients with HIV infection to be diagnosed with KS and NHL, was significantly greater at 35.7% and 34.2% respectively with a p value = 0.00, compared to any other cancer type. Oral squamous cell carcinoma was not found to be an ADC.
Conclusion: Within the period 2003 – 2009 ADCs still frequently occurred amongst HIV- positive people in South Africa, despite HAART being made accessible at state health institutions since 2004.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry
Johannesburg, 23 June 2017
Keywords
Aids-Defining-Cancer