Immune checkpoint inhibitors in people living with HIV and cancer: a Kaplan-Meier-derived individual patient data meta-analysis.
Francisco Cezar Aquino de Moraes, Luis Henrique Rios Moreira Rego, Felipe Alves de Paiva et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy and safety in people living with HIV (PLWH) and cancer, compared with people without HIV. Fourteen studies including 935 patients were analyzed. Overall survival, progression-free survival, and rates of any or severe adverse events did not differ significantly between groups. Among PLWH, the pooled objective response rate was 36% and disease control rate was 64%. The authors concluded that ICI outcomes were comparable by HIV status, while noting that evidence in this population remains limited.
Key findings
- Overall survival did not differ significantly between PLWH and people without HIV (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.71-1.08; p = 0.23).
- Progression-free survival was similar between groups (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.89-1.42; p = 0.38).
- Any adverse events (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.52-1.58; p = 0.71) and severe adverse events (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.51-2.10; p = 0.91) showed no significant differences.
- In PLWH, pooled objective response and disease control rates were 36% and 64%, respectively.
Why it matters
People living with HIV have often been excluded from cancer trials, leaving uncertainty about ICI outcomes in this population. These pooled findings provide comparative evidence that survival and adverse-event outcomes were not significantly different by HIV status, while documenting responses among PLWH. The results help inform understanding of the available evidence without establishing equivalence.
What to keep in mind
The evidence base remains limited, as reflected in the small number of included studies; the abstract does not report further design or follow-up details.