title: Occupational exposure to immunologically active agents and risk for lymphoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated whether occupational exposure to high molecular weight agents that are associated with asthma and that act predominantly through an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-dependent hypersensitivity mechanism is also associated with risk for specific lymphoma types.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Spanish lymphoma case-control study includes 519 newly diagnosed cases of lymphoid neoplasms and 554 hospital controls ages 20 to 80 years. Lymphomas were histologically or cytologically confirmed and classified according to the WHO classification. Lifetime occupational exposure to seven high molecular weight agents such as latex was evaluated through an asthma-specific job-exposure matrix and validated by an industrial hygienist. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were adjusted for age, sex, hospital, and occupational exposures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects exposed to high molecular weight agents had an increased risk for Hodgkin's lymphoma (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 0.93-5.50), particularly nodular sclerosis (OR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.14-9.09). ORs did not increase with duration of exposure to these agents. Exposure to high molecular weight agents was not associated with risk of other B-cell lymphomas; for most specific subcategories of B-cell lymphoma, ORs were below unity. A slightly increased OR (95% CI) was seen for mycosis fungoides [1.60 (0.53-4.84)], although overall there was no increased risk for T-cell lymphomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to immunologically active agents among clinically immunocompetent subjects was associated with risk for Hodgkin's lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Servei d'Epidemiologia & Registre del Cancer, Institut Catala d'Oncologia, Gran Via Km 2.7, 08907 L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogevinas
authors.forename: Jan-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zock
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alvaro
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia-Villanueva
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domingo-Domenech
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Otoniel
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martínez-Maza
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Sanjose
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E