Current CD4 cell count-nadir differential was a better predictor of incident virus-associated cancers (adjusted HRs/100 cells/μl decrease and 95% CI 1.27 [1.09, 1.48], p = 0.002) than recent CD4 count (adjusted HRs/100 cells/μl decrease [95% CI] 1.17 [1.03–1.33]; p = 0.014). Here, CD4 is linked to cancer.