Agricultural risk factors for t(14;18) subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The t(14;18) translocation is a common somatic mutation in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) that is associated with bcl-2 activation and inhibition of apoptosis. We hypothesized that some risk factors might act specifically along t(14;18)-dependent pathways, leading to stronger associations with t(14;18)-positive than t(14;18)-negative non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Archival biopsies from 182 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases included in a case-control study of men in Iowa and Minnesota (the Factors Affecting Rural Men, or FARM study) were assayed for t(14;18) using polymerase chain reaction amplification; 68 (37%) were t(14;18)-positive. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for various agricultural risk factors and t(14;18)-positive and -negative cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, based on polytomous logistic regression models fit using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. T(14;18)-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was associated with farming (OR 1.4, 95% CI = 0.9-2.3), dieldrin (OR 3.7, 95% CI = 1.9-7.0), toxaphene (OR 3.0, 95% CI = 1.5-6.1), lindane (OR 2.3, 95% CI = 1.3-3.9), atrazine (OR 1.7, 95% CI = 1.0-2.8), and fungicides (OR 1.8, 95% CI = 0.9-3.6), in marked contrast to null or negative associations for the same self-reported exposures and t(14;18)-negative non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Causal relations between agricultural exposures and t(14;18)-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are plausible, but associations should be confirmed in a larger study. Results suggest that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma classification based on the t(14;18) translocation is of value in etiologic research.
Schroeder
J C
JC
Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
Olshan
A F
AF
Baric
R
R
Dent
G A
GA
Weinberg
C R
CR
Yount
B
B
Cerhan
J R
JR
Lynch
C F
CF
Schuman
L M
LM
Tolbert
P E
PE
Rothman
N
N
Cantor
K P
KP
Blair
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000009:adverse effects; D000465:Algorithms; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000009:adverse effects; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
D016573:Agrochemicals; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated