Smoke and mirrors: HIV-related lung cancer

Purpose of review The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy has dramatically reduced AIDS-related illnesses and increased life expectancy for people living with HIV infection. At the same time, non-AIDS-defining cancers are becoming an increasing problem and now account for a large proportion of HIV-related deaths. Perhaps the most important and controversial of these is HIV-related lung cancer. There are a number of unresolved issues surrounding this illness, which are the subject of this review. Recent findings Smoking does not account for all of the increase in the incidence of lung cancer seen in HIV patients. Other factors accounting for the increased incidence remain undefined. Highly active antiretroviral therapy may not have had a beneficial effect on either the incidence or outcome of the disease, which needs further investigation. Early diagnosis and offering these patients potentially curative therapy wherever appropriate is of utmost importance. Summary HIV-related lung cancer is becoming an increasingly important problem as patients are living longer with HIV infection.