Abstract

Background: Patients with HIV infection have a significantly higher risk of developing cancer than the general population. In the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART) the cancer risk and mortality have been decreased, however, the risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) increased. The ART allows treating HIV-infected patients with lymphomas with protocols for patients in the general population. Withal the data on the results of the treatment HL in patients with HIV controversy. Aims: To study epidemiology and evaluate the results of the treatment of HL in patients with HIV in national multicenter study. Methods: The study included 45 patients with HL in patients with HIV who received treatment in 9 Russian centers from 2007 to 2021. The median follow-up was 9 months (1-129). Patients and treatment characteristics were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated within two years from the diagnosis using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The median age was 39 years (25-66), men - 25 (55.6%), women - 20 (44.4%). Histological variants of HL in most cases were represented by nodular sclerosis (56%) and mixed-cell variant (41%). The advanced stage of the disease (3-4 Ann Arbor) was observed in 72.7% of patients, B-symptoms at the onset of the disease - 68.2%. The majority of patients (97.7%) received ART at the diagnosis of HL. The median number of CD4+ cells/µl at the onset of HL was 352.8 (50-692) cells/μl. General somatic status at the start of chemotherapy ECOG 0-1 - 34 (82.9%), ECOG≥2 - 7 (17.1%). As the first line of therapy, patients with localized stages of HL received ABVD (75%) and BEACOPP (25%), with advanced stages - ABVD (61.3%) and BEACOPP (38.7%). The median courses of first-line therapy were 4 (1-10). Radiation therapy in first-line therapy was performed in 4 patients (8.9%). The structure of response to first-line therapy were complete response - 51.4%, partial response - 25.7%, disease stabilization - 2.9%, disease progression - 20%. Fourteen and 8 patients received second and third-line therapy, respectively. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was performed in 6 patients - the only 42.8% of patients with relapsed / refractory HL. OS in the study group was 81%, PFS - 38% (median PFS - 23 months). The level of CD4+ cells at the onset of HL less than 250/µl was associated with a statistically significant worsening of OS during 1 year (50% vs 100%, p=0.014). Factors such as gender, age, stage of the disease, ECOG status, the presence of B-symptoms at the onset of the disease, and the treatment regimen did not statistically significantly affect the two years OS and PFS from the diagnosis of HL in patients with HIV. Summary/Conclusion: The national multicenter study allowed characterization of HL in patients with HIV and evaluation of the efficacy of first-line therapy, which was found to be lower than in the general population. The level of CD4+ cells was the only factor that affect 2-year OS. The obtained data can form the basis for further prospective studies aimed at improving the results of HL treatment in HIV-infected patients.

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