The term "lymphoma" encompasses more than 60 different types of cancers affecting the lymph nodes and other tissues of the lymphatic system, according to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Lymphomas are divided into two broad categories, Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, based on how the cancers spread in the body. In most cases of the disease, the exact cause is unknown. However, several factors that increase the risk of lymphoma have been identified, including certain environmental factors.
Pesticides and Herbicides
Several chemicals used to control insects and weeds have been linked to lymphoma, reports LymphomaInfo.net. Farmers and agricultural workers who spend a lot of time in large agricultural fields face exposure to these chemicals and an increased risk of lymphoma. Similarly, people who live in rural agricultural areas may be exposed to these chemicals through run-off into drinking water and by crop-dusting. In addition, eating agricultural products that were treated with herbicides and pesticides may also increase the risk. In particular, research suggests a link between lymphoma and Agent Orange, the herbicide used extensively for defoliation during the Vietnam War.
Radiation
Exposure to high levels of radiation is another factor that increases the risk of lymphoma, according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. People may be exposed to high doses of radiation during radiotherapy to treat other types of cancer. Patients who receive both radiotherapy and chemotherapy are at an even greater risk for lymphoma. Direct, lengthy exposure to direct sunlight also exposes people to higher levels of radiation and increases the risk of lymphoma, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports.
Chemical Solvents
Strong chemicals used in industrial process to dissolve other chemicals present another risk factor for lymphoma, explains LymphomaInfo.net. One chemical solvent, benzene, has been proven through extensive research to cause lymphoma. Other solvents, including toluene, acetone, turpentine and xylene are similarly highly toxic and have been linked to an increased risk of lymphoma. Industrial alcohol solvents, not the ethyl alcohol commonly consumed, have also been linked to lymphoma.
Hair Dye
Certain hair dyes are also linked to lymphoma. The connection between hair dyes and lymphoma has received extensive media attention over the years, some of which was inaccurate, according to LymphomaInfo.net. The current research suggests that there is a link between hair dye and lymphoma, but the risk is mostly found in hair dyes that were made before 1980.
