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Objectives We used population-based data to identify incident cancer cases and correlates of cancer among women living with HIV/ AIDS in British Columbia ( BC), Canada between 1994 and 2008. Methods Data were obtained from a retrospective population-based cohort created from linkage of two province-wide databases: (1) the database of the BC Cancer Agency, a province-wide population-based cancer registry, and (2) a database managed by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/ AIDS, which contains data on all persons treated with antiretroviral therapy in BC. This analysis included women (≥ 19 years old) living with HIV in BC, Canada. Incident cancer diagnoses that occurred after highly active antiretroviral therapy ( HAART) initiation were included. We obtained a general population comparison of cancer incidence among women from the BC Cancer Agency. Bivariate analysis ( Pearson χ2, Fisher's exact or Wilcoxon rank-sum test) compared women with and without incident cancer across relevant clinical and sociodemographic variables. Standardized incidence ratios ( SIRs) were calculated for selected cancers compared with the general population sample. Results We identified 2211 women with 12 529 person-years ( PY) of follow-up who were at risk of developing cancer after HAART initiation. A total of 77 incident cancers (615/100 000 PY) were identified between 1994 and 2008. HIV-positive women with cancer, in comparison to the general population sample, were more likely to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non- Hodgkin's lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma and less likely to be diagnosed with cancers of the digestive system. Conclusions This study observed elevated rates of cancer among HIV-positive women compared to a general population sample. HIV-positive women may have an increased risk for cancers of viral-related pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]