What is the prognosis for someone who is in full-blown AIDS ( CD4=75), with agressive, stage IV lymphoma, who curretnly has a "life-threatening" fungal infection and a pseudomonas infection. We were advised that if they could hold off for 2 weeks before starting chemo, we had a pretty good chance, but they had to go ahead and start chemo immediately because the tumor had doubled in size in less than 2 weeks.He is on anti-fungal medication IV, antibiotics, and the chemotherapy is Vincristine, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. Thank you

The prognosis is actually quite good. If the tumor is doubling in size so rapidly, then the tumor is more likely to be very responsive to chemotherapy. The person is question needs all the things treated simultaneously. He needs the infections treated with antibiotics, the lymphoma treated with chemotherapy, and this HIV infection treated with HIV drugs. I have had many patients in similar situations, it seems that they go from having been on no medicines, to all of a sudden getting everything the pharmacy has to offer. Quite often these patients do quite well. A lot will depend on whether his health professionals can keep ahead of the infections and complications. Also what's happening with his viral load? It will be important to get that under control.