Exploring Risk Factors for Follicular Lymphoma

Abstract

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent malignancy of germinal center B cells with varied incidence across racial groups and geographic regions. Improvements in the classification of non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes provide an opportunity to explore associations between environmental exposures and FL incidence. Our paper found that aspects of Western lifestyle including sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and diets high in meat and milk are associated with an increased risk of FL. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin D, and certain antioxidants are inversely associated with FL risk. A medical history of Sjogren's syndrome, influenza vaccination, and heart disease may be associated with FL incidence. Associations between FL and exposure to pesticides, industrial solvents, hair dyes, and alcohol/tobacco were inconsistent. Genetic risk factors include variants at the 6p21.32 region of the MHC II locus, polymorphisms of the DNA repair gene XRCC3, and UV exposure in individuals with certain polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor. Increasing our understanding of risk factors for FL must involve integrating epidemiological studies of genetics and exposures to allow for the examination of risk factors and interactions between genes and environment.

Investigating Lifestyle and Dietary Style in Patients with Lymphoma of the Head and Neck Admitted to Razi Hospital in the City of Rasht

“…In this study, consumption of red meat was considered as a predictor of lymphoma so that red meat intake higher than the normal level in patients could escalate the risk of lymphoma infection by 1.87 times which could be associated with mutagens of meat and fat. These findings were consistent with the results from the study by Ambinder et al (12) in the state of Atlanta in the United States in 2012 as well as the investigation by Aschebrook-Kilfoy et al (22) in France in 2012 indicating that a diet replete with red meat could increase the risk of infection with the NHL. Furthermore, the findings of the present study were in line with the results of the investigation by Dong and Wu suggesting that consumption of poultry meat and egg was not related to an 4 Int J Cancer Manag.…”

“…Comparing the consumption of milk and majority of dairy products between the two study groups, no significant difference was observed and the given results were not consistent with the findings from the study by Ambinder et al (12) signaling that a diet rich in milk was associated with an increased risk of being affected with the NHL. This difference could be due to variations in methodology, sample size, geographical location, and the use of substances to enrich milk and dairy products between the two study groups.…”

“…The main cause of lymphoma is also unknown. However, various studies have investigated the role of some factors and risk factors related to lifestyle and dietary style, genetic factors, as well as viral diseases in this respect (5,7,8,11,12). In this study, a number of factors associated with lifestyle and dietary style involved in lymphoma of the head and neck were also investigated in the target group.…”

“…Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and a diet full of meat and milk can be as well associated with an augmented risk of the FL, while a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin D, and antioxidants is inversely associated with the risk of the FL (12). However, the accurate etiology of lymphoma is still unknown (4).…”

HIV Infection and Survival of Lymphoma Patients in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

“…Unlike previous studies, we intentionally included follicular lymphoma for comparison purposes, which is a common NHL subtype not strongly associated with HIV infection. Follicular lymphoma is also unique from the other 4 types of lymphoma in that no evidence links it to any infection (38), whereas Hodgkin lymphoma, DLBCL, and Burkitt lymphoma are largely related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV; ref. 39), and PTCL is associated with both human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 and EBV (40).…”