Does having cancer delay seroconversion?

[scaredmark]

anyone know?

any medical condition?

[kumar007]

if you have a question...click on  post a question and start a new thread..

[Pumpkinseed77]

Hi there!  I have been trying like crazy to get some input on various forums about this possibility.

Would a stem-cell transplant, chemo and radiation therepy 8+ years in the past delay drastically effect seroconversion (for years)?  I am in the process freaking out about a confirmed, high risk encounter that I had in 2003.  Negative ELISA were performed in 2005 and again in 2007, but I was unaware that I had a high risk encounter until about 1.5 weeks ago, therefor I had no clue that I needed to bring up the possibility with my doctors.  We have since moved (husband's job relocates us every few years) and I have to find a new oncologist in the area for a followup.  I will ask him then, of course.  But in the mean time... well, I am just a tad worried.  

Add to the mix the ongoing fear of recurrence and you can see that I am a but of a wreck.  I am worried that if the non-hodgkins has appeared again, that the recent ELISA test I just had done would not show antigens again.  Because I have a history of lymphocite trauma (for lack of better words), I feel that I have a foot to stand on regarding *some* concern

Input anyone?

Thanks

[guiltnworry]

No, that type of immune stress is not sufficient enough to stop the body from producing antibodies.  The immune system has to be physically dampered by some mechanism, and anxiety alone is not sufficient, otherwise, no one worried about being infected with HIV would ever seroconvert.

[helpmymind]

would extreme stress that supresses the immune system slow down the body from producing antibodies?

[guiltnworry]

So I'm assuming for once you are agreeing with me?  Since you restated EXACTLY what I said. Just checking.

[Teak]

Those that are on chemo treatments, anti-rejection drugs for transplants and chronic IV drug abusers have a tendency of delayed seroconversion.

[guiltnworry]

Cancer can hypothetically affect seroconversion because of its effect on the immune system.  When you have advanced cancer, like chris said, your immune system is often quite depressed and cannot mount a response to HIV.  Therefore, there is a delayed production of antibodies to HIV by the immune cells.  The only other thing that has been documented to affect seroconversion is immunosuppressive drugs, like those given in cancer for bone marrow transplants, kidney and other organ transplants, etc.  Immunosuppressive drugs are given to patients to stop the body from rejecting a transplant.  Cancer patients who get bone marrow transplants need to take these drugs to stop their bodies from rejecting a foreign source of bone marrow.  This immunosuppression could theoretically delay the production of antibodies and therefore delay seroconversion.  This phenomenon is a bit hard to study as HIV and cancer are not necessarily frequent co-morbid conditions.  After all, it is unethical to take cancer patients and infect them with HIV to see how long they take to seroconvert.