If low rates of virologic failure observed in treated patients continue, predicted life expectancy is relatively high in people with HIV who can access a wide range of antiretrovirals. The greatest risk of excess mortality is due to delays in HIV diagnosis.

Our study provides evidence of HIV transmission, high rates of late presentation and an increased risk of short-term mortality among older adults. These findings highlight the need for increased targeted prevention efforts and strategies to increase HIV testing among older adults at risk of HIV.

Purpose Preclinical studies suggested that the oral anti-fungal agent itraconazole specifically inhibits proliferation, migration, and tube formation of endothelial cells. Itraconazole has potent anti-angiogenic activity and enhances the efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapy in multiple primary xenograft lung cancer models. Based on these data, we performed an exploratory clinical study assessing the efficacy of itraconazole with cytotoxic chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer. Patients/Methods The study enrolled patients with progressive non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer after one prior cytotoxic therapy for metastatic disease, randomized 2:1 to pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 IV day 1 with or without itraconazole 200 mg oral daily on a 21-day cycle. Outcome measures included percent progression-free at 3 months, progression-free survival, overall survival, and observed toxicity. Results A total of 23 patients were enrolled; the study was stopped early due to increasing use of pemetrexed in the first line setting. Sixty-seven percent of patients were progression-free at 3 months on itraconazole plus pemetrexed vs. 29% on the control arm of pemetrexed alone (p=0.11). Median progression-free survivals were 5.5 months (itraconazole) vs. 2.8 months (control) (hazard ratio (HR)=0.399, p=0.089). Overall survival was longer in patients receiving itraconazole (median 32 months) vs. control (8 months) (HR=0.194, p=0.012). There were no evident differences in toxicity between the study arms. Conclusion Itraconazole is well tolerated in combination with pemetrexed. Consistent with our preclinical data, daily itraconazole administration is associated with trends suggestive of improved disease control in patients receiving chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer.