Cancer Prevention Pathways in People Living with HIV: Assessment of Prevalence and Related Factors Among Individuals Attending HIV Division of Ferrara Hospital

<b>Background.</b> Oncological diseases are among the leading causes of death in people living with HIV (PLWH). With the introduction of antiretroviral therapy and the consequent reduction in AIDS-defining cancers (ADC), there has been a growing incidence of non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADC). <b>Methods.</b> A retrospective observational study (cross sectional prevalence analysis) was conducted to investigate the prevalence and spectrum of oncological diseases in patients attending the HIV/AIDS Division at the Ferrara Hospital. The sample included 534 patients evaluated between January 2023 and November 2024 (534/682 met eligibility). Demographic, clinical, and serological data were extracted from medical records. The CDC's 2014 definition has been adopted for the ADC/NADC classification. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 29 and G*Power 3.1 software. <b>Results.</b> The data analysis revealed 62.8% NADC vs. 37.2% ADC (44 NADCs vs. 26 ADCs). Male individuals and those aged 50 and older were more represented. Patients with ADC more often fell into C2-C3 groups, indicative of severe immunodeficiency, while NADCs were more prevalent in clinical groups A1-B3. Statistical analysis showed that viral load was more frequently under 50 copies/mL in the NADC group, while it tended to be higher in the ADC group. <b>Conclusions.</b> These results align with current scientific evidence regarding the global prevalence of ADCs and NADCs. The findings highlight the need to implement targeted oncological screening strategies for HIV-positive patients to promote early diagnosis and improve prognosis.