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Why are people with AIDS vulnerable to certain cancers?
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AIDS
Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 virions (green) budding from a cultured lymphocyte. Multiple round bumps on the cell surface represent sites of virion assembly and budding.
People with AIDS are vulnerable to certain cancers because the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) severely compromises the immune system, leaving the body unable to defend itself against malignancies and opportunistic infections.12
The development of these cancers is linked to several factors:
- Immune Dysfunction: HIV targets and destroys helper T cells, which are critical for activating the immune response. When the immune system is weakened, it loses its ability to identify and eliminate abnormal cells that may lead to cancer.312
- Opportunistic Viral Infections: The immune system's failure allows other viruses to thrive, which can trigger cancer development. For example, Kaposi sarcoma is associated with the herpes virus HHV-8, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) contributes to the development of lymphomas in HIV-infected individuals.514
- Cellular Growth Factors: In the case of Kaposi sarcoma, the breakdown of the immune system and the production of specific growth factors by HIV-infected white blood cells are thought to encourage the occurrence of the tumor.5