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In the past decade, few studies have reported the occurrence of lung cancer in HIV-infected patients. The true frequency of this association is known. The major features of these patients include: male gender, young age, a history of intravenous drug abuse, preponderance of adenocarcinoma cell type and advanced clinical stage at diagnosis. We describe a case of a lung cancer in a man with evidence of advanced HIV-infection and a history of intravenous drug abuse. Subsequently, we review the data reported in the literature about this association. Our patient provides further evidence that lung cancer should be included in the differential diagnosis of intrathoracic diseases in HIV-infected patients.

We describe 4 patients with reversible obstruction of the upper airways, a condition that usually presents with crises of dyspnea and respiratory sounds. No organic cause could be identified and the symptoms were initially confused with those of bronchial asthma. During episodes, the flow-volume curve suggested obstruction of the upper airways with poor reproducibility and repeatedly normal resistance values. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy allowed us to confirm the functional nature of the obstruction in these cases.