However, the outcome of HIV patients with HL has dramatically improved after the introduction of HAART; the CR rate, OS and disease-free survival (DFS) approach those seen in the general population [17–19]. The diagnosis of HL, as that of any other lymphoid malignancy, should be based on a tissue sample biopsy, rather than on a cytological sample. Samples should be stained for CD20, CD3, CD15, CD30, BCL-2 and LMP-1 proteins. Following the confirmation of diagnosis, patients should undergo a series of investigations

(which include blood tests, whole body FDG-PET/CT scan and unilateral bone marrow biopsy) to assess the extension of the disease (see Table 10.1). Whereas a bone marrow biopsy is not necessary in all HIV-negative patients with HL, the higher proportion of bone marrow involvement in the HIV population [9,15] makes it mandatory. The above-mentioned investigations allow staging of the disease selleck according to the Ann Arbor classification/Cotswolds modification [20] (see Table 10.2). A prognostic score, which predicts both freedom from progression (FFP) and OS, has been defined for HIV-negative patients with advanced HL at diagnosis [21] (see

Table 10.3). The applicability of the International Prognostic Score (IPS) in HIV patients was reported in a series of patients treated with Stanford V chemotherapy, in which NVP-BKM120 in vivo the IPS was the only variable predictive for OS in the multivariate analysis. The IPS also predicted for FFP and CR rate [22]. Other prognostic markers that have been reported to have an impact Buspirone HCl on the outcome of HIV-HL patients include some predictive factors related to characteristics of the lymphoma, such as age, stage and responsiveness to therapy [12,23] and others associated with the HIV infection and/or its treatment [12,16,23–25]. Histological subtypes have

been associated with prognosis in the HIV population in some studies [24] but not in others [23]. Despite the reduction in the incidence of ADMs since the advent of HAART, several large cohort studies have shown no fall in incidence rates of HL pre- and post-HAART [26–28], with some studies even showing increased incidence rates of HL immediately post HAART initiation [29]. The relationship between the incidence of HL and CD4 cell counts is complex. HL occurs most commonly at CD4 cell counts below 200 cells/μL [17,30]. However, there is ongoing risk of developing HL while on HAART despite an adequate CD4 cell count [26–28,30,31]. Furthermore, HL incidence rates are actually higher in the first few months after starting HAART [30–32]. Several cohort studies have also shown that drops in the CD4 cell count or CD4:CD8 ratio in the year prior to HL diagnosis may herald the advent of disease [27,28]. In contrast, viral load has not been shown to relate to incidence rates [26,30,31].