New study published in the British Journal of Cancer unveiled that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer in HIV- infected patients by 14 times, emphasising the importance of smoking cessation.

A team of Swiss researchers found that immunodeficiency or AIDS-related lung disease were not the causes of lung cancer in AIDS patients; rather heavy smoking was identified as the prime cause of lung cancer among patients with HIV.

In the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, conducted to identify the risk factors for lung cancer in HIV patients, investigators identified 68 lung cancers and matched them with 337 control cases, all of the same age, gender and HIV risk group as the cancer patients.

For the purpose of study, study authors used Swiss patients who received HIV care between 1985 and 2010 as subjects. On compiling the results, 96.2% of lung cancer cases and 72.9% of control cases were found to be smokers, indicating a strong association between lung cancer and smoking.

The study found that 85% of lung cancer patients were current smokers and 6% were former smokers, while only 50% of control patients were found to be smoking. Citing the figures of the research, investigators said to reduce lung cancer, it is important to encourage people to quit smoking.

Former smokers were found to be a lower risk of contracting lung cancer, when compared to current smokers, indicating benefits of quitting smoking. Scientists found no association between lung cancer and low CD4 cell count or a history of AIDS-defining lung disease. No significant link was observed between antiretroviral therapy and lung cancer.

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