They found a greater risk that appears to be greater among males than females. As noted above, these researchers also recommend that clinicians of HIV-infected patients inquire about well-known modifiable cancer risk factors. For instance, the people who smoke cigarettes, which results in many types of cancer, are known to be higher among the HIV-infected numbers. AIDS patients should also be very careful on maintaining a well-balanced nutritional diet (Shiels). Doctors who treat AIDS patients should discuss such issues early on in the disease stage with the patients, it is recommended by the researchers.

Although researchers are unaware of the reasons why AIDS patients have such a higher degree of developing some cancers, there are several theories for their higher susceptibility, such as the increased life expectancy due to antiretroviral drugs; weakened immune systems and the likelihood of increased high-risk behaviors as smoking. Some researchers even question if antiretrovirals could be a carcinogen.

The question is whether or not antiretroviral therapy should be given earlier, considering it has shown positive results in some studies. Over the past several years, non-AIDS-defining cancers have gained increasing attention, and it seems that a number of these cancers may have become more common since the HAART treatment began. According to Cinti, Gandhi, and Riddell IV, the overall risk of non-AIDS-defining cancer in HIV-infected individuals is twice to three times that of the regular population. However, these researchers (Cinti, Gahdhi, & Riddel

IV) also state that risk factors above and beyond immunosuppression, including growing older and smoking cigarettes, could have a major role in increasing the risk in HIV-infected people.

These researchers also question if antiretroviral therapy was started as a treatment sooner, would the effect decrease the risk of developing non-AIDS-defining cancer or have an effect on its overall course? Very little data exist regarding how antiretroviral therapy works to protect non-AIDS-defining...

Further, there have been no prospective studies in this area. The most helpful research concerning this idea was conducted through a retrospective review of records of HIV-infected persons who had been treated in U.S. military clinics from 1988 to 2003 (as reported in Cinti, Gahdhi, & Riddel IV).
Yet based on the knowledge to date, it is not possible to determine whether earlier institution of antiretroviral therapy may reduce cancer risks or whether it could be considered AIDs-defining. What is truly understood and recommended by researchers is that individuals who have a high incidence of AIDS-related cancer must be made aware of other additional cancer risks such as smoking and high alcohol consumption. A change in habits may not prevent or eliminate the cancers that are occurring in the AIDS population, but the number of HIV-positive people who have an advanced stage of the cancer diseases may decrease with greater use of intervention processes and screening of patients in the high-risk populations. It is also recognized that more research has to be conducted to determine the higher risks of these cancers in AIDS patients and the connection, if any, between these higher numbers and the use of the HAART treatment.