NATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH RADIOLOGICAL CENTRE — THE LEADING CENTER FOR TREATMENT OF HIV‑ASSOCIATED PATIENTS

Our immune system plays a crucial role in fighting oncological diseases, but in HIV infection the level of key immune cells decreases, weakening the immune response. Natalya Falaleeva, an expert of the NMRRC and Head of the Department of Drug Treatment of Malignant Neoplasms at the A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center, will discuss the specifics of treating HIV‑associated patients.

“Currently, the basic principles of cancer treatment in patients with HIV align with the standards of general oncology”, – says Natalya Alexandrovna.

However, the treatment of patients with HIV has its own specifics:

• mandatory continuation of antiretroviral therapy during antitumor treatment;
• strict monitoring of drug interactions between chemotherapy agents and antiretroviral medications;
• prevention and control of infections.

“Unfortunately, such patients face an increased risk of infectious complications, which requires enhanced monitoring and prevention”, emphasizes Natalya Alexandrovna. “Before starting therapy, they must undergo comprehensive preparation, including an assessment of their immune status and the presence of opportunistic infections — that is, infections that develop in the context of a weakened immune system. In about a quarter of patients, cancer and HIV are diagnosed simultaneously, which demands special attention from doctors”.

Accumulated global experience, including that of our Center, demonstrates that most drugs can be used in standard regimens and dosages, provided HIV infection is under control. Physicians’ concerns about prescribing targeted and immunotherapy are completely unfounded, as the incidence of complications does not exceed that observed in patients without HIV. Furthermore, research is underway on the use of immunotherapy in treating HIV itself, while the application of targeted therapy requires only an analysis of drug‑drug interactions.

Every year, more than a thousand patients receive treatment at the Department of Drug Treatment of Malignant Neoplasms of the A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center. Over the past eight years, the Center has treated more than 500 HIV‑positive patients — both those with hematological malignancies and those with various solid tumors. Patients come to the A. Tsyb MRRC from all over the country and from abroad. Such patients require a multidisciplinary approach and close collaboration with infectious disease specialists, in partnership with whom it is possible to ensure high‑quality monitoring and prevention of therapy‑related complications.