HIV Status and Associated Clinical Characteristics Among Adult Patients With Cancer at the Uganda Cancer Institute

PurposeHIV increases cancer incidence and mortality. In Uganda, the HIV epidemic has led to an elevated incidence of AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) and non–AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs). Limited information exists about how frequently HIV infection complicates the presentation and manifestations of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsWe abstracted medical records from patients with cancer who were age 18 years or older who registered at the Uganda Cancer Institute from June through September 2015 to determine the burden of HIV. We used χ2 tests and generalized linear models to evaluate factors associated with HIV positivity. A sensitivity analysis estimated HIV prevalence in those untested. ResultsAmong 1,137 patients with cancer, 23% were HIV infected, 48% were HIV negative, and 29% had no recorded HIV status. Of those with recorded HIV status, 32% were HIV positive. Forty-two percent (149 of 361 patients) with ADCs were documented as HIV infected (51% of those with documented status) compared with 14% (10...