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.
Chang
Cindy M
CM
Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA. changcm@mail.nih.gov
Schroeder
Jane C
JC
Olshan
Andrew F
AF
Dunphy
Cherie H
CH
Huang
Wen-Yi
WY
Baric
Ralph S
RS
Conway
Kathleen
K
Cerhan
James R
JR
Lynch
Charles F
CF
Rothman
Nathaniel
N
Cantor
Kenneth P
KP
Blair
Aaron
A
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