In the combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) era, the incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) has not decreased, with some studies reporting it may have increased. The incidence of HL is approximately 10-fold higher in HIV-positive subjects. In this population, HL has a more aggressive behavior, including more advanced stage and extranodal involvement at diagnosis. Different chemotherapy regimens have been used, including ABVD, Stanford V and BEACOPP. The concomitant administration of chemotherapy and cART has been shown to have a favorable impact on clinical outcomes and overall survival. As a consequence, current recommendations suggest to treat HL in HIV-positive subjects similarly to uninfected ones and to give concomitantly cART and adequate supportive therapy.

Here, we describe a case of nodular sclerosis HL in a patient with HIV infection, who achieved remission with ABVD chemotherapy, but unfortunately relapsed and died two years after the initial diagnosis.