# Pediatric HIV and Cancer Epidemiology

> **NIH NIH U54** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2022 · $175,159

## Abstract

Project 1: Epidemiology of and Risk Prediction for Childhood Cancers in the Context of HIV/AIDS in
Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) disproportionately bears the burden of pediatric HIV/AIDS, having approximately
90% of the 1.7 million pediatric cases of HIV. While substantial progress has been made in recent years to
limit the number of new cases of HIV among children, there are still an estimated 1.6 million children living with
HIV in SSA. These HIV-infected children are at a higher risk for developing cancer as a result of their disease.
The epidemiology of HIV-related malignancies among adults has been fairly extensively studied; however, few
epidemiologic studies on cancer among children with HIV have been conducted. Our long-term goal is to
determine which HIV-infected children are at highest risk of developing a malignancy. To address these gaps
in the epidemiology of pediatric HIV-related malignancies in SSA, we propose the following aims:
1. Calculate the prevalence and incidence of cancers among HIV+ children by expanding and updating
a cohort of HIV+ children who are treated and followed at the BIPAI Centers of Excellence.
We will leverage both the high-quality electronic medical record system in the BIPAI CoE and affiliated clinic
network and the large population of HIV-infected children who have been treated at the CoEs since 2004 to
understand the distribution of cancers in this high-risk population. Hypotheses: 1) The incidence of certain
infection-related cancers will be higher among HIV-infected children age 14 years or younger, and 2) there will
be a lower incidence of HIV-associated cancers (e.g., KS) over the timeframe of this cohort compared to
historical data, while the incidence of other non-AIDS defining cancers will be higher.
2. Determine the impact of clinical risk factors on pediatric HIV-related malignancy risk in SSA.
We will assess the impact of risk factors such as timing of anti-retroviral treatment, HIV stage at cancer
diagnosis, severe acute malnutrition at cancer diagnosis, and geoclimatic differences on HIV-related
malignancy risk of children living in SSA. We will also assess whether risk of developing HIV-related
malignancies is influenced by history of infections and other co-morbidities. Hypothesis: Factors related to a
child's HIV infection severity and early life environment underlie risk of developing pediatric HIV-related
malignancies in SSA.
3. Identify plasma biomarkers that are more abundant among HIV+ children diagnosed with cancer.
Based on evidence from the literature and our own preliminary data, we will compare a standard set of
cytokines/chemokines, and markers of virus burden, in 4 groups of children: 1) HIV+/Cancer+, 2) HIV+/Cancer-,
3) HIV-/Cancer+, and 4) HIV-/Cancer-. The goal is to identify biomarkers of cancer risk in HIV+ children that
could be utilized with the clinical factors identified in Aim 2 to develop a novel paradigm for cancer screening in
this high-risk population. Hypothesis...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10427345
- **Project number:** 5U54CA254569-03
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael E. Scheurer
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $175,159
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-25 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10427345

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10427345, Pediatric HIV and Cancer Epidemiology (5U54CA254569-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10427345. Licensed CC0.

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