Viral infection, atopy and mycosis fungoides: a European multicentre case-control study.
Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a rare disease with an unknown aetiology, although it has been suggested that infections may play a role. The present study investigates whether infections, atopic disorders and some other diseases are risk indicators for MF. A European multicentre case-control study involving seven rare cancers, including MF, was conducted from 1995 to 1998. Patients between 35 and 69 years of age diagnosed with MF (n = 140) were recruited, and the diagnoses were verified by a reference pathologist, who classified 83 cases as definitive and 35 cases as possible; 22 cases were not accepted. Of the 118 accepted cases, 104 patients were interviewed (including 76 definitive cases and 28 possible cases). These 76 definitive cases were used for this study. A common set of controls to serve all case groups were interviewed, representing a total of 4574 controls. The latter included 1008 colon cancer patients and 3566 subjects selected from population registers. Information on infections, skin pathology and clinical history 5 years before the diagnosis of MF was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) derived from logistic regression-modelling, which included gender, age and country. The highest ORs for MF were found in patients who reported a history of psoriasis 5 years before MF was diagnosed (OR 7.2, 95% CI: 3.6-14.5). Urticaria had an OR of 1.4 (95% CI: 0.6-3.6). Infections and atopic diseases were not closely associated with MF. Some diseases correlated to MF. Whether this has a causal background or reflects early diagnostic uncertainty is not known.
Unit of Public Health and Environmental Care, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Valencia, Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, Dr. Peset University Hospital, Valencia, Spain. maria.m.morales@uv.es
M M
MM
Morales
J
J
Olsen
P
P
Johansen
L
L
Kaerlev
P
P
Guénel
P
P
Arveux
G
G
Wingren
L
L
Hardell
W
W
Ahrens
A
A
Stang
A
A
Llopis
F
F
Merletti
M A
MA
Villanueva
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000209:etiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012307:Risk Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications*