Do you know your status ? Do you know the link between HIV and Cancer ?
This makes it more difficult to fight off other infections and certain cancers
This year the theme for World Aids Day is “know your status.”
World Aids Day falls on Sunday, December 1 CANSA together with the National Department of Health, National Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society highlight that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a cancer-causing agent and can put people living with HIV at risk for cancer.
UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.
More than 35 years ago the first case of HIV was reported.
78 million people have become infected with HIV and 35 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses.
Since it started operations in 1996, UNAIDS has led and inspired global, regional, national and local leadership, innovation and partnership to ultimately consign HIV to history.
What is HIV?
HIV is an infection that can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
It’s a virus that breaks down certain cells in the immune system (the body’s defence against diseases that helps a person stay healthy).
What causes HIV infections?
The infection is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus and is spread when blood, semen, or vaginal fluids from an infected person enter another person’s body, usually through sexual contact, from sharing needles when injecting drugs, or from mother to baby during birth.
How does HIV affect the human body?
The virus can survive and multiply in the human body and in doing so infects, and destroys, the CD4 cells of the immune system.
This makes it more difficult to fight off other infections and certain cancers.
How is HIV treated?
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is used to treat HIV infection and may consist of a regimen of HIV medicines.
These medicines work to reduce the amount of virus in the body thereby limiting destruction of immune cells.
Reducing the amount of virus in the body can help to lessen the chance of transmission of HIV and reduce the risk of some cancers.
What is the link between HIV and cancer?
It is important for those living with HIV as well as healthcare providers to be aware of the symptoms of cancer, as HIV puts people at higher risk for cancer.
Dr Elvira Singh, Head of the National Cancer Registry explains, “Our recent study* examined national cancer trends and excess cancer risk in people living with HIV (PLWH) compared to those who are HIV-negative. The study found that PLWH are at higher risk of AIDS-defining cancers namely, Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and cervical cancer. They’re also at increased risk of conjunctival cancer and human papilloma virus (HPV) related cancers which include: penile, anal and vulvar cancer, compared to HIV-negative patients. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin was also been found to be HIV-associated. The risk of Kaposi sarcoma has declined as ART became available. However, the risk of conjunctival cancer and HPV-related ano-genital cancers (cervical, anal, vulvar and penile cancers) continues to rise, despite widespread availability of ART.”
* Dhokotera, T., Bohlius, J., Spoerri, A., Egger, M., Ncayiyana, J., Olago, V., Singh, E. and Sengayi, M., 2019. The burden of cancers associated with HIV in the South African public health sector, 2004–2014: a record linkage study. Infectious agents and cancer, 14(1), p.12.
So do you know your status?
If not go get tested on World Aids Day.
