Abstract
Background
Cancer is now the leading cause of mortality for persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the United States, but it is uncertain whether PLWH access cancer screening that could lower this burden. We sought to assess cancer screening for breast, cervical, and colon cancer among PLWH compared with the HIV-uninfected population at a multicenter healthcare system over the past two decades.
Methods
Data were obtained from a prospective, observational HIV clinical care cohort comprised of PLWH engaged in care in the Partners Healthcare System. Patients eligible for cancer screening between the years 2002 and 2016 were included. Patients were matched in a maximum of 1:4 ratio with HIV-uninfected patients from the Massachusetts General Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network based on age, sex, race, year of study entry, and length of follow-up. The mean proportion of time in which eligible patients were guideline concordant for cervical, breast, and colon cancer screening was assessed. Non-parametric tests were used to compared screening rates between PLWH and HIV-infected and on the basis of multiple clinical and sociodemographic factors.
Results
During the observation period, a total of 495 PLWH were eligible for breast cancer screening, 1011 for cervical cancer screening, and 1965 for colon cancer screening. For each screening group, the majority of PLWH were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and had relatively high CD4 cell counts (Table 1). Screening rates for PLWH compared with controls were 67.3% vs. 82.8% (P < 0.0001) for breast cancer, 49.0% vs. 73.3% (P < 0.0001) for cervical cancer, and 92.7% vs. 91.2% (P = 0.96) for colon cancer (Figure 1). Among PLWH, factors significantly associated with lower rates of screening guideline concordance were older age, lower CD4 count, HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/mL, and HIV duration < 5 years for breast cancer, and older age, white race, English language, and lack of ART use for cervical cancer.
Conclusion
Among patients engaged in longitudinal care, PLWH had significantly lower rates of screening for breast and cervical cancer than HIV-uninfected. Disparity is not explained by racial or primary language differences. Further work to improve access to cancer screening for PLWH is needed.
Disclosures
All authors: No reported disclosures.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward breast cancer screening in a rural South African community
