Immunodeficiency and Cancer
Summary of Key Points
• Cancer remains a major cause of mortality among patients with primary and acquired immunodeficiencies.
• Cancer in immunocompromised hosts is frequently associated with infectious agents, including the following:
Epstein-Barr virus (associated with lymphoproliferative disorders and leiomyosarcoma)
Human papillomavirus (associated with skin anal and cervical carcinomas)
• Categories of genetic immunodeficiencies with increased risk of the development of cancer include the following:
Combined defects with T-cell dysfunction (e.g., severe combined immunodeficiency or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
Defects that inhibit lymphoid apoptosis (e.g., autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome)
Defects of genomic instability (e.g., ataxia telangiectasia)
Acquired deficiencies in T-cell immunity with increased risk of developing cancer, such as:
