Gynaecologic and breast cancers in women living with HIV in South Africa: A record linkage study

Abstract

AbstractBreast and gynaecologic cancers account for approximately half of all cancers diagnosed amongst women in South Africa, many of whom also live with HIV. We aimed to determine the incidence of and risk factors for developing breast and gynaecologic cancers in women living with HIV (WLHIV) in South Africa. This is a longitudinal analysis of the South African HIV Cancer Match study including women aged ≥15 years with two or more HIV‐related laboratory tests. We used Cox proportional hazard models to determine the association of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)‐related and hormone‐related gynaecologic cancer with patient‐ and municipal‐level characteristics. From 3 447 908 women and 10.5 million years of follow‐up, we identified 11 384 incident and 7612 prevalent gynaecologic and breast cancers. The overall crude incidence rate was 108/1 00 000 person‐years (pyears) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 106‐110), with the highest incidence observed for cervical cancer (70/1 00 000 pyears; 95% CI: 68.5‐71.7). Low CD4 cell counts and high HIV RNA viral loads increased the risk of cervical and other HPV‐related cancers. Age was associated with both HPV‐related and hormone‐related cancers. Women accessing health facilities in high socioeconomic position (SEP) municipalities were more likely to be diagnosed with HPV‐related cancers and breast cancer than women accessing care in low SEP municipalities. It is important to improve the immunologic status of WLHIV as part of cancer prevention strategies in WLHIV. Cancer prevention and early detection programmes should be tailored to the needs of women ageing with HIV. In addition, SEP disparities in cancer diagnostic services have to be addressed.