Factors Impacting Differential Outcomes in the Definitive Radiation Treatment of Anal Cancer Between HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients.

CONCLUSION: A trend toward worse FFLR was seen in HIV-positive patients, despite similar baseline disease characteristics as HIV-negative patients. Worse FFLR and OS was significantly associated with increased time from diagnosis to treatment initiation. Poorer OS was seen in HIV-positive patients with a post-treatment CD4 count less than 150 cells per mm3 .
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma can represent a difficult clinical scenario. Definitive radiation with concurrent chemotherapy is highly effective, but can result in significant toxicity and decrease in CD4 count that could predispose to HIV-related complications. As HIV-positive patients have largely been excluded from prospective clinical trials, this study seeks to provide greater understanding of their outcomes with radiation therapy, potential predictors of worse local control and overall survival, and those most at risk of after completion of treatment.
PMID: 32390297 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: The Oncologist - May 9, 2020 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Susko M, Wang CJ, Lazar AA, Kim S, Laffan A, Feng M, Ko A, Venook AP, Atreya CE, Van Loon K, Anwar M Tags: Oncologist Source Type: research