Anal human papillomavirus and anal squamous cell cancer in people living with HIV/AIDS: implications for southern africa

Abstract

Southern Africa has the largest burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the world. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is increasingly being made available in the region. The disease has shifted from being a death sentence to that of a chronic disorder with the availability of HAART. The morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the developed world seems to be shifting from that of opportunistic infection to malignancy, particularly non-AIDS-defining cancer. A similar trend may be imminent in the developing world owing to the availability of HAART. Squamous cell cancer of the anus is a cancer with a seemingly increasing incidence in PLWHA. This review explores the possible impact that a rise in the incidence of squamous cell cancer of the anus would have on the region, and strategies that may be employed to identify and counteract this escalation.