# HIV and Non‐HIV Patients Have Similar Rates of Neoplastic Findings on Screening Colonoscopy Within a Predominantly African American Cohort

## TL;DR

This study found that HIV patients and non-HIV patients had similar results during colonoscopies, suggesting current cancer screening guidelines apply to both groups.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that HIV patients have similar colonoscopy findings to non-HIV patients in a predominantly African American cohort.

## Key findings

- HIV and non-HIV patients had similar rates of polyps during screening colonoscopies.
- No significant differences in polyp histology were observed between the two groups.
- CRC screening recommendations are appropriate for both HIV and non-HIV patients.

## Abstract

With the reduction in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–related mortality secondary to antiretroviral therapy, chronic medical conditions and age‐related cancers account for a larger proportion of mortality among those with HIV. Cancer risk overall remains elevated in HIV patients, and cancer screening data in this population is limited. The primary study aim was to determine whether screening colonoscopy findings differed between HIV and non‐HIV patients.

A retrospective review of adults with/without HIV undergoing screening colonoscopy between February 2015 and September 2022 was performed. HIV patients were matched with non‐HIV patients by sex, race, and age, undergoing screening colonoscopy within six business days of their matched patients. Demographic data included age, race, sex, family history of colorectal cancer (CRC), smoking status, alcohol use, along with endoscopic and histologic findings that were compared between the matched pairs.

Ninety matched pairs of HIV and non‐HIV patients undergoing screening colonoscopy comprised the study population. The study group was 78.9% African American, 55.6% male, with a mean age of 59.0 years in HIV patients and 54.9 years in non‐HIV patients. Procedure indication was average risk screening in 91.1% of patients. No statistically significant differences in screening colonoscopy findings or polyp histology were observed between HIV and non‐HIV patients.

Similar rates of polyps were found at screening colonoscopy regardless of HIV status. CRC screening recommendations are appropriate for the HIV patient population without limitation.

The primary study aim was to determine if screening colonoscopy findings differed between HIV and non‐HIV patients. A retrospective review of adults with/without HIV undergoing screening colonoscopy between February 2015 and September 2022 was performed. Screening colonoscopy findings did not differ between patients with HIV and those without HIV in this predominantly African American study population.