Malignancies in children with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. The Italian Multicenter Study on Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Children.

Cancer has been closely associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but this is less frequent in children. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas represent the most frequently reported single tumor. The authors report seven cases of malignant tumors resulting from the analysis of all (n = 1321) children enrolled in the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children. Tumors were distributed as follows: non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma (four cases); and Kaposi's sarcoma, hepatoblastoma, acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (one case each). Hepatoblastoma had never been previously reported in HIV-infected children. Also in the current series, non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma is the most frequent single tumor. Five of the seven cancers belonged to the B-cell line. All but one of the seven children have died. Specific chemotherapy was provided in three cases, with some clinical improvement. The treatment of malignancies in HIV-infected children is hampered by increased risk of opportunistic infections often fatal even in children with apparent remission from the tumor.

First case in Italy of fatal AIDS in a hemophiliac.

The first fatal case of AIDS in an hemophiliac observed in Italy is reported. The propositus is a 53-year-old hemophilia A patient who died on the 8th December, 1984. AIDS was documented clinically and in the laboratory by serum antibodies to HTLV-III detected by ELISA and Western blot assays. A progressive intellectual worsening of the patient due to diffuse cerebral atrophy was followed by CT scan, EEG and by evaluation of proper neurological signs and symptoms.