Intermittent ART Raises Risk for AIDS-Associated Malignancy

SMART study participants who received intermittent ART had elevated rates of Kaposi sarcoma, lymphoma, and lung cancer, but the numbers were too small for results to be statistically significant.

The SMART study (stopped prematurely in 2006) outlined the substantial risks associated with intermittent antiretroviral therapy (ART) designed to keep CD4 counts above 250 cells/mm³ (ACC Nov 29 2006). A separate report now describes the patterns of malignancies seen in this study.

During 4 years of follow-up, 71 malignancies were diagnosed among the 5472 study participants. Thirteen were AIDS-defining malignancies: 8 Kaposi sarcomas, 3 non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and 2 Hodgkin lymphomas. The risk for any AIDS-defining malignancy was significantly higher with intermittent antiretroviral therapy (ART) than with continuous ART, although no significant differences were seen for specific types of such malignancies. The strongest predictor of developi…

Reviewing Author

Abigail Zuger, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Abigail Zuger, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Intermittent ART Raises Risk for AIDS-Associated Malignancy

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Reviewing Author