Lymphocyte Count in HIV/AIDS Patients with Carcinoma During Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Background HIV/AIDS-patients who develop carcinoma should receive radiation treatment with the same consideration as other immunocompetent cancer patients. Radiation has effects on bone marrow and compress hematopoiesis. Lymphocyte count is used as a proxy-indicator for CD4 count on immunostatus. Objectives To determine effect of radiation on the lymphocyte count in HIV-infected carcinoma patients. Materials & Methods A retrospective descriptive studywas conducted in 23 HIV-infected carcinoma patients was reviewed. All patients received conventional radiation therapy (200 cGy per fraction, 5 fractions per week), with weekly lymphocyte-report during treatment at least 4 week were analyzed. We used paired t-test and repeated - measured ANOVA to determine lymphocyte count at different radiation dose and prognostic factors. Results Lymphocyte was significantly decreased on higher total radiation dose (p 0.000). The decrease of lymphocyte is significantly associated with age (p 0.033). Conclusion Conventional radiation to HIV-infected carcinoma patients, older than 40 year-old, was decrease lymphocyte count in this group. We should conduct the study of CD4 count and viral load to determine whether antiretroviral treatment is need.