LUNG-CANCER IN PATIENTS WITH HIV-INFECTIO N

Objective. To know the characteristics of lung cancer among patients w ith HIV-1 infection. Method. The clinical records of patients infected with HIV-1 and lung cancer diagnosed at our institution from January 1991 to April 1995 were reviewed. The epidemiological, clinical, histo logical and evolutive factors were studied. Results. A total of 1,258 patients were diagnosed of HIV-1 infection during that period of time. Seven patients out of those 1,258 had also a lung cancer. Six were ma les. All of them were smokers and had severe immunodepression. In four cases the histological diagnosis was epidermoid carcinoma, in two ade nocarcinoma, and in one case undifferentiated large cell carcinoma, Fi ve patients were on advanced stages at diagnosis, and lung cancer was the direct cause of death. Conclusion. The frequency of lung cancer am ong our patients with HIV-1 infection was 5.5 per thousand, with predo minance of epidermoid carcinoma.