Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has altered the course of most AIDS-related malignancies. There is some evidence that cellular immunity plays an important role in the progression of metastatic melanoma.
Case report: We report on a patient suffering from metastatic melanoma and HIV infection. The 53-year-old man received HAART in order to use both its anti-tumor efficacy and its stimulating effect on cellular and humoral immune functions. Furthermore, our patient was treated with interleukin-2, a drug which has shown efficacy in metastatic melanoma and HIV infection.
Results: Although the CD4 and CD8 cell count increased significantly, a fulminant progression of melanoma in the liver and spleen was noted, and the patient died subsequently.
Conclusion: This case describes that neither immune reconstitution through HAART nor interleukin-2 treatment were able to lead into an anti-tumor response. HIV-infected patients should be monitored routinely for an early diagnosis of this potentially lethal disease.