HIV-Associated Cancer Biomarkers: A Requirement for Early Diagnosis

Abstract

Globally, HIV/AIDS and cancer are increasingly public health problems and continue to exist as comorbidities. The sub-Saharan African region has the largest number of HIV infections. Malignancies previously associated with HIV/AIDS, also known as the AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) have been documented to decrease, while the non-AIDS defining cancer (NADCs) are on the rise. On the other hand, cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease and precision oncology as the most effective cancer therapy is gaining attraction. Among HIV-infected individuals, the increased risk for developing cancer is due to the immune system of the patient being suppressed, frequent coinfection with oncogenic viruses and an increase in risky behavior such as poor lifestyle. The core of personalised medicine for cancer depends on the discovery and the development of biomarkers. Biomarkers are specific and highly sensitive markers that reveal information that aid in leading to the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of the disease. This review focuses mainly on the risk assessment, diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic role of various cancer biomarkers in HIV-positive patients. A careful selection of sensitive and specific HIV-associated cancer biomarkers is required to identify patients at most risk of tumour development, thus improving the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease.

Possible cancer-causing capacity of COVID-19: Is SARS-CoV-2 an oncogenic agent?

“…There are critical stages and molecules that play a role in their oncogenicity [ 8 ] including blocking tumour suppressor molecules such as P53 or by activation of oncogenes [ 9 ]. For example, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has potential cancer-causing effects [ 10 , 11 ]. This virus leverages multiple mechanisms that eventually result in three cancer types namely, Kaposi sarcoma (KS), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and invasive cervical cancer (ICC) by different mechanisms [ 10 , 11 ].…”

“…For example, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has potential cancer-causing effects [ 10 , 11 ]. This virus leverages multiple mechanisms that eventually result in three cancer types namely, Kaposi sarcoma (KS), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and invasive cervical cancer (ICC) by different mechanisms [ 10 , 11 ].…”

LncRNA RP11-499E18.1 Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition Process of Ovarian Cancer Cells by Dissociating PAK2–SOX2 Interaction

“…Previous investigation demonstrated that the core of personalized medicine for cancer lies in the discovery and development of biomarkers, which reveal information that leads to the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of the disease ( Dlamini et al, 2021 ). Besides, a previous research pointed out that uncertainty of prognosis is the main reason that patients with hematologic malignancies receive aggressive therapy near end of life ( Iizuka-Honma et al, 2021 ).…”

Identification of unique transcriptomic signatures and key genes through RNA sequencing and integrated WGCNA and PPI network analysis in HIV infected lung cancer

“… 2 Among HIV patients, the prevalence of lung cancer has also been increasing. 3 , 4 According to the Global Cancer Statistics report, lung cancer has the third highest mortality rate among all malignancies. 5 And the survival rate of HIV‐infected lung cancer patients is lower than that of regular lung cancer patients.…”

“…In recent years, with the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HARRT), the survival time of HIV patients has been increasing 2 . Among HIV patients, the prevalence of lung cancer has also been increasing 3,4 . According to the Global Cancer Statistics report, lung cancer has the third highest mortality rate among all malignancies 5 .…”