Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also called non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is a cancer that originates in cells of the immune system, lymphocytes. The cause is DNA mutation, a change in the genetic code. Lymphocytes with certain mutations become abnormal, duplicate faster, and even live longer than healthy cells. When the immune system becomes unable to destroy these abnormal lymphocytes, they travel through the blood and grow in many parts of the body, forming tumors. Unfortunately, doctors usually don’t know what causes these mutations. However, doctors and researchers consider several risk factors to play a role. Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean a person will develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Age and Gender
Approximately 70 percent of people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are older than 50. Young people can develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but the chances grow with age. Also they are more likely to be men than women, and more likely to be Caucasian than African-American, according to the Lymphoma Research Foundation, or LRF.
Family History
According to the LRF, people with a family history of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma might be at a higher risk of developing the disease. Still, no clear genetic inheritance has been shown for this type of lymphoma.
Immune System Disorders
Patients who already suffer from a condition that affects their immune system are at a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. That can be due to the inherited immune deficiencies, disorders in which the immune system is incapable of fighting attackers, in this case cancer. It can also be due to drugs that weaken the immune system during organ transplantation. Patients with autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease, are at a higher risk, too.
Infections
According to the National Cancer Institute, certain infections can increase the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They include human immunodeficiency virus; Epstein-Barr virus, which causes infectious mononucleosis in young adults; Helicobacter pylori, bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers; human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 and hepatitis C.
Environmental Factors
Exposure to chemicals and radiation increases the risk of many cancers, not only non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Highly toxic chemicals that represent risk factors are solvents such as acetone, various alcohols, toluene, turpentine and benzene. Benzene exposure–already shown to cause leukemia–is particularly dangerous and linked to lymphoma, and is the subject of a lot of research and many lawsuits. Herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are known risk factors for developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and represent hazards for farmers and agricultural workers, but also for consumers who ingest these chemicals with food.
A lymphoma study published in 2008 in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" indicated that using hair dye may increase a person's risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It showed the risk mainly in women who used hair dyes before 1980, but could not exclude it from those women who used dyes after that year.
References
- National Cancer Institute: What You Need to Know About Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Risk Factors
- Lymphoma Research Foundation: Understanding Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, 2010
- Lymphoma Info Net: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Lymphoma Research Foundation: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- “American Journal of Epidemiology”, Personal Use of Hair Dye and the Risk of Certain Subtypes of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Y. Zhang, S. De Sanjose, P. M. Bracci, L. M. Morton, R. Wang, P. Brennan, P. Hartge, P. Boffetta, N. Becker, M. Maynadie, L. Foretova, P. Cocco, A. Staines, T. Holford, E. A. Holly, A. Nieters, Y. Benavente, L. Bernstein, S. H. Zahm, and T. Zheng, April 11, 2008
