Introduction:
Since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy, the life expectancy of HIV infected patients has increased significantly. As the incidence of opportunistic infections accounting for HIV related deaths has declined, malignancies now account for an increasing proportion of these mortalities, with lymphoma presenting second most commonly. In order to determine whether HIV positive patients with lymphoma are receiving best care, patients from three hubs within the region were reviewed.

Methods:
Data was collected retrospectively from HIV positive patients with lymphoma from 1st of January 2010 to 31st of December 2014.

Results:
Total number of patients in the study was 25 across the three centres with 8,12 and 5 patients from each centre. All patients underwent the recommended diagnostic procedures for diagnosis and 96% received appropriate imaging for staging. Of the 20 patients where documentation was available, 70% were diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma and 50% had the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of 3 or more. 5-year survival rate was 72% and in those followed up for a minimum of 2 years the 2-year progression free survival rate was 100%. 28% patients died during the study period, 43% of whom had a late diagnosis.

Discussion:
Management of lymphoma within three centres in the region is in line with current best practice guidelines. In order to improve the survival further, early diagnosis and treatment of HIV were identified as crucial factors necessitating increased awareness of HIV testing.

How well are we managing Lymphoma in our HIV cohort over 5 years: a regional audit in three main hubs

The Joint Annual Conference of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV & the Society for the Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Ireland