Rare Lymph Cancer Tied To A.I.D.S.? (Press, 6 September 1984)

A study published on 6 September 1984 highlights a concerning increase in a rare form of lymph cancer among homosexual men, which researchers suggest may be linked to the ongoing AIDS epidemic. Since the AIDS outbreak began four years ago, an unusual skin tumour called Kaposi’s Sarcoma has been identified as common among those infected with the disease. The latest research indicates that these individuals also face a significantly higher risk of developing a particularly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Dr John Ziegler from the University of California, San Francisco, who led the study, noted that “a second malignancy is now clearly associated” with the immune deficiency caused by AIDS. The researchers identified 90 cases of this lymph cancer in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, and New York since 1980, with over half diagnosed in the previous year alone. Although the total of 90 cases does not constitute an outright epidemic, Dr Ziegler remarked on the notable increase, given the rarity of the cancer. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that 62 percent of those affected had aggressive forms of lymphoma that did not respond well to treatment. Data from the study shows a stark rise in lymphoma cases among never-married men aged 20 to 49 in San Francisco, with reports of two cases from 1975 to 1979 and ten cases between 1980 and 1983. The findings further detail the progression of the disease among patients: 33 individuals presented swollen lymph glands prior to their cancer diagnosis, with 14 eventually developing AIDS. In contrast, 29 had already been diagnosed with AIDS when lymphoma was detected, and in another 13 cases, the cancer was discovered only during autopsy examinations. There were also 15 individuals who showed no AIDS symptoms when their cancer was diagnosed, yet 12 of them subsequently developed the disease. AIDS patients' compromised immune systems make them increasingly vulnerable to various other diseases. Most AIDS cases recorded have been among male homosexuals, and it is thought that transmission occurs primarily through sexual contact or blood products, rather than through casual interactions. This rising trend in lymph cancer cases underscores the broader implications of the AIDS crisis and highlights the urgent need for further research and understanding of related health risks within affected populations.

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