START is a major study which aimed to identify the benefits and harms of beginning HIV treatment at a high CD4 cell count. As has already been reported, people who began HIV treatment immediately had a 57% reduction in serious illnesses and death. This has resulted in the guidelines for HIV treatment being re-written, with […]
A large and well-conducted study on the risk of developing cancer has just been published. In recent years, cancer has become more common among people living with HIV (PLWH) – partly because PLWH are living longer. HIV’s impact on the immune system also contributes to high cancer rates. The researchers looked at data on 86,620 people living […]
Persistent infection with certain strains of HPV (human papillomavirus) can cause ano-genital cancers, and may also be implicated in throat cancer. Vaccines have been developed that provide high-level protection against these strains of HPV and also other types of the virus that cause ano-genital warts. Since 2008, HPV vaccination has been recommended for adolescent girls in […]
A poor CD4 response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with an increased risk of virus-related non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADC), US investigators report in AIDS. The authors recommend that people living with HIV who have low CD4 counts should be intensively screened for virus-related malignancies. The most frequently-occurring virus-related malignancies are those caused by human papilloma virus […]
A large number of infections with anal cancer-associated strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) among older gay men could be prevented with the use of HPV vaccines, new research shows. Persistent infection with a high-risk strain of HPV can lead to anal cell changes that can lead to cancer. The rate of anal cancer is especially high […]
Although still rare, rates of anal cancer are much higher in people with HIV compared to the general population. The total number of cases is low, but a number of studies have shown that diagnoses of anal cancer have increased since the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy . Two recent large studies suggest that HIV treatment that suppresses viral load […]
Although still rare, rates of cervical and anal cancer are much higher in people living with HIV compared to the general population. Both these cancers are linked to infection with strains of humanpapillomavirus (HPV). HPV is very common and most people will have it at some point in their lives. For most people, infection with HPV will cause no […]
Thanks to improvements in HIV treatment and care, the outlook for many HIV-positive patients is now for a near normal lifespan. However, HIV-positive patients appear more likely to develop certain malignancies, including anal cancer, compared to their HIV-negative peers. A recent, large US study has found that the rate of anal cancer was significantly higher for […]
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common infection, which is transmitted sexually. Many sexually active people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives and most people will have no symptoms. People often clear HPV infection without treatment. Some strains of HPV cause anal and genital warts, and other strains can cause cell […]