HIV and Cancer

People living with HIV in Asia are commonly co-infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) and with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HPV is associated with developing anal or cervical cancer and HCV with developing liver cancer, and co-infected HIV-positive people are much more likely to develop these cancers than their HIV-negative counterparts. TREAT Asia is dedicated to improving treatments and screenings to prevent these cancers among HIV-positive patients. The network is also investigating the development and frequency of other cancers in people living with HIV—an area of increasing concern as more HIV-positive people survive into older ages, when the risk of developing cancer is higher.