HIV/AIDS-Related Cancer: Latest Research

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 11/2022

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about the scientific research being done to learn more about cancers related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and how to treat them. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors are working to learn more about HIV/AIDS-related cancer, ways to prevent it, how to best treat it, and how to provide the best care to people diagnosed with these diseases. The following areas of research may include new options for patients through clinical trials. Always talk with your doctor about the best diagnostic and treatment options for you.

  • Combination therapies. Clinical trials are underway to study the effects of chemotherapy plus targeted therapy, and the role of antiretroviral treatment (ART) given at the same time. High-dose therapy with bone marrow transplantation as well as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy are also being studied in clinical trials for NHL.

  • New therapies. There have been advances in the understanding of the biology of HIV/AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma. New targeted therapies called kinase inhibitors block angiogenesis, which is the formation of new blood vessels that a tumor needs to grow and spread. In addition, a targeted therapy called imatinib (Gleevec) is being tested in clinical trials.

  • HPV prevention. The HPV vaccine helps prevent infection from the HPV strains that can cause specific types of cancer, including cervical cancer.

  • Palliative and supportive care. Clinical trials are underway to find better ways of reducing symptoms and side effects of current cancer treatments to improve comfort and quality of life for patients.

Looking for More About the Latest Research?

If you would like more information about the latest areas of research in Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cervical cancer, explore these related items that take you outside of this guide:

The next section in this guide is Coping with Treatment. It offers some guidance on how to cope with the physical, emotional, social, and financial changes that cancer and its treatment can bring. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.