Becker N, Fortuny J, Alvaro T, Nieters A, Maynadie M, Foretova L, Staines A, Brennan P, Boffetta P, Cocco PL, de Sanjose S. Medical history and risk of lymphoma: results of a European case-control study (EPILYMPH). J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2009 Aug;135(8):1099-107. doi: 10.1007/s00432-009-0551

INTRODUCTION: Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of immune-cell malignancies. Immunology-related conditions are among the few factors for which consistent evidence exists relating them to lymphoma risk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the data from the European case-control study Epilymph on 2,362 lymphoma cases and 2,458 controls to investigate associations between a medical history of infectious and non-infectious diseases with overall and subentity-specific lymphoma risk.

RESULTS: As key results, we observed an increased odds ratio (OR) for self-reported infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV, OR = 1.91, 95% CL = 1.24-2.94) and a null result for rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, we found an increased OR for infectious mononucleosis (OR = 1.68, 95% CL = 1.14-2.48), an inverse association to frequency of sickness in childhood (OR = 0.68, 95% CL = 0.55-0.84), and-as casual finding-an increased OR with acetaminophen intake (OR = 2.29, 95% CL = 1.49-3.51).

CONCLUSION: Our results are consistent with the current knowledge about the association with mononucleosis as indicator of Epstein-Barr-virus infection, suggest serological study of the association to HBV infection and do not support the view of a positive association between rheumatoid arthritis and lymphoma risk.