Quantifying the relationship of HIV infection with clinicopathological spectrum and outcome among patients with colorectal cancer in a South African population

INTRODUCTION: Literature is limited on HIV and colorectal cancer (CRC) in sub-Saharan Africa despite it being the epicentre of the HIV epidemic, PURPOSE: To compare clinicopathological features and outcome of CRC in HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospective CRC database. Demographic details, HIV status, anatomical site, disease stage, treatment and follow-up were documented. RESULTS: Of 715 patients with CRC, 145 and 570 tested positive and negative respectively for HIV. Median age was 45 (IQR 36–53 and 57 (IQR 45–66) years among HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients respectively (p<0.0001). Tumour differentiation differed between the two groups (p=0.003) but staging was not different (p=0.6). Surgical resection rate was 52% for HIV-positive patients versus 59% for HIV-negative patients (p=0.07). Median follow-up was 9 (IQR 2–20.5) months for HIV-positive patients and 12 (IQR 6–29) months for HIV-negative patients (p=0.154). Recurrence rate was 14.7% among HIV positive patients and 6.8% in HIV negative patients (p=0.089). CONCLUSION: When compared with HIV-negative patients, HIV-positive patients with CRC presented at a younger age and tended to have lower surgical resection rates. There was no difference between the two groups with CRC in terms of anatomical sub-site distribution, disease staging and recurrence rates.