Introduction: Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) and non Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are frequently associated to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in adults.
Objective: To systematize the clinical features and histological characteristics of lymphomas in AIDS patients, its treatment and outcomes in our institution.
Patients and methods: Retrospective analysis of patients with HIV-associated lymphoma between January 2001 and December 2008 at the San Borja Arriarán Hospital complex.
Results: Information was obtained from 30 patients with NHL and 7 with HL, with a median of 40 years. The majority of tumors were Burkitt lymphoma (47%), diffuse large cell lymphoma B-cell (37%) and NHL of T lineage (10%). There was no CNS or cavities lymphoma. Almost all patients (86.7%) with NHL were treated with CHOP chemotherapy, 57% of those receiving treatment had progression or relapse from complete remission. A rescue chemotherapy was indicated in 4 patients. 73% of patients receiving CHOP, complete 5 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The use of CHOP chemotherapy for the subgroup of patients with Burkitt lymphoma achieved low rates of complete remission and frequent relapse and disease progression, showing that CHOP was ineffective in improving survival, especially in high risk patients. We found statistically significant differences in survival according to IPIae (International prognostic Index age-adjusted).
Conclusion: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in HIV patients treated with chemotherapy protocols PAlNDA persists in our environment as a disease with a poor prognosis compared with findings in the international literature. The incorporation of new drugs of proven utility as rituximab and specific schemes chemotherapy could improve these results. The establishment of prognostic groups established by IPIae can guide clinical work for the use of chemotherapy tailored to their specific risk and optimized according to histological type.