Patients with HIV are not being screened enough for cancers: Study

According to a latest study finding presented at the Infectious Diseases Society of America 49th Annual Meeting, patients with HIV were less likely to have routine screening for breast, cervical and colon cancer compared with patients without HIV.

The research conducted by a team from St. John Hospital & Medical Center in Detroit was actually a retrospective case-control study to evaluate compliance with American Cancer Society screening guidelines. The study included 78 patients with HIV who were treated by infectious disease specialists and 78 age- and gender-matched patients without HIV who were treated by internal medicine specialists. All patients were seen by their specialists from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2009. The investigators reviewed charts to see if the ACS screening guidelines were followed.

Results showed that patients with HIV were less likely to be recommended screening and also less likely to have screening performed. When compared with national figure rates for cancer screening, patients treated by internal medicine specialists had a higher rate of screening, whereas patients with HIV had a lower rate of screening. Additionally among the patients with HIV, 56.4% had a primary care provider.

• For mammograms to detect breast cancer, 91.7% of patients without HIV were ordered to have one, compared with 54.2% of patients with HIV. A mammogram actually was performed in 83.3% of patients without HIV, compared with 45.8% of patients with HIV.
• For colonoscopy to detect colon cancer, 89.8% of patients without HIV were ordered to have one, compared with 54.2% of patients with HIV. A colonoscopy actually was performed in 67.8% of patients without HIV, compared with 45.8% of patients with HIV.

For Pap smears to detect cervical cancers, 86.7% of patients without HIV were ordered to have one, compared with 60% of patients with HIV. A Pap smear actually was performed in 80% of patients without HIV, compared with 60% of patients with HIV.