Aim:Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can cause tumoral changes in immune cells and lead to the development of AIDS-defining malignancies. As malignancies in HIV-infected individuals tend to be quite aggressive with a worse prognosis, making a definitive and early decision about HIV-related malignancies is very important.Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine HIV-related malignancies in HIV-positive patients and evaluate F-18 FDG PET/CT results.
Materials and Methods: This single-centre, retrospective study was conducted on adult patients with HIV infection at a university hospital between January 2018 and December 2022. The demographic data, medication use, viral loads, and F-18 FDG PET/CT results of the patients were accessed retrospectively from the automated hospital records system and patient files. F18-FDG PET/CT images of patients were evaluated for those with suspicion of cancer and staging of cancer.
Results: The study included 254 patients (median age: 33±13.8 years, male sex: 81.9%). Malignancy was diagnosed in 3.1% (8/254) of HIV-positive patients. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Kaposi Sarcoma were the most common cancers. F-18 FDG PET/CT was performed in 3.5% (9/254) of patients, of which 2.76% (7/254) had findings suggestive of malignancy. As a result of the biopsy, malignancy was detected in five of these patients, and HIV-related lymphadenopathy was detected in two. In two patients, there were no F-18 FDGPET/CT imaging findings suggestive of malignancy.
Conclusion: F-18 FDG PET/CT can be used in in the evaluation of HIV-infected patients with suspected malignancy.
Key words: HIV, neoplasms, positron emission tomography computed tomography
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