A case-control study of tobacco use and other non-occupational risk factors for lymphoma subtypes defined by t(14; 18) translocations and bcl-2 expression.
OBJECTIVE
We re-evaluated reported associations between tobacco use and other factors and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) t(14; 18)-subtypes based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays believed to be more sensitive than polymerase chain reaction (PCR), previously used for detecting t(14; 18).


METHODS
Commercial FISH assays and bcl-2 immunostaining were performed on paraffin sections to determine t(14; 18) and bcl-2 case-subtypes. Polytomous logistic regression models estimated associations between NHL case-subtypes (versus 1,245 population-based controls) and tobacco use as well as other factors.


RESULTS
Adjusting for age, state, and proxy status, t(14; 18)-negative NHL was associated with any tobacco use (vs. no tobacco use, OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.0-3.5), including current smoking (vs. no cigarette use, OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1-3.2). Tobacco exposures were not clearly associated with t(14; 18)-positive NHL or bcl-2 case-subtypes. Hair-dye use and family history of a hemolymphatic cancer were associated with t(14; 18)-negative NHL, but the number of exposed cases was small.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between t(14; 18)-negative NHL and cigarette smoking was unexpected given previous evidence of associations between smoking and follicular lymphoma (which is largely t(14; 18)-positive). Future studies characterizing additional molecular characteristics of t(14; 18)-negative NHL may help determine whether the association with smoking may have been causal versus an artifact of chance or bias.
Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA. changcm@mail.nih.gov
Cindy M
CM
Chang
Jane C
JC
Schroeder
Andrew F
AF
Olshan
Cherie H
CH
Dunphy
Wen-Yi
WY
Huang
Ralph S
RS
Baric
Kathleen
K
Conway
James R
JR
Cerhan
Charles F
CF
Lynch
Nathaniel
N
Rothman
Kenneth P
KP
Cantor
Aaron
A
Blair
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D015994:Incidence; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2