Researchers in California have conducted a very large study monitoring the health of 20,000 HIV-positive people for the presence of 10 different cancers. What made their study different from others is that health-related data from each HIV-positive participant was matched with health-related data from 10 HIV-negative people of similar age, ethnicity/race, gender, geographic location and similar risk factors such as use of alcohol, tobacco and other substances and the presence or absence of obesity. In contrast, most cancer studies that have been done tend to compare HIV-positive people to an idealized HIV-negative person without such risk factors. This may cause some studies to draw incorrect conclusions.

This information was provided by CATIE (Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange). For more information, contact CATIE at 1.800.263.1638 or info@catie.ca.