Breast cancer and HIV: what do we know?

The present acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome-defining neoplasms are Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and cervical cancer. However, other malignancies have recently been associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Is there also a link between breast cancer and HIV infection? Breast cancer seems to be more aggressive in the setting of immunocompromise by HIV infection, as demonstrated by the clinical course of two patients recently treated at this institution and review of the available literature. As the acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic affects increasing numbers of women and survival improves, surgeons will be frequently called on to diagnose and treat breast cancer in the HIV+ patient.