title: Chronic viral hepatitis and risk of lymphoid malignancies: a retrospective twelve-year population-based cohort study in Côte d'Or, France.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between hepatitis C infection and lymphoid malignancies is still a matter of debate. The hypothesis of a relationship between hepatitis B and lymphoid neoplasms is more recent and has been far less thoroughly explored.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between hepatitis C and B infections and B cell non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  We took advantage of the co-existence in the French administrative area of Côte d'Or of two specialized registries - one for viral hepatitis and one for haematological diseases - to conduct a population-based, cohort study covering a 12-year period. The databases were anonymized and then linked using a probabilistic model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 8234 person-years at risk in the hepatitis C cohort and 2784 in the hepatitis B cohort. We found 6 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the hepatitis C cohort, resulting in an overall adjusted standardized incidence ratio of 3.42 (CI: 1.25-7.45). Three of these 6 cases were diffuse-large-B-cell-lymphoma. Cirrhosis was associated with a higher risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the hepatitis C cohort (relative risk=8.4, p<0.01, using a Poisson regression). We found one case of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia amongst the hepatitis B carriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis C carriers are at a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma than the general population. The role of cirrhosis and the association between hepatitis B and lymphoid malignancies deserve to be further assessed.
authors: Registre des hémopathies malignes de Côte d'Or, EA 4184, Faculté de médecine, Dijon, France. claire.proby@gmail.com
authors: Claire
authors: C
authors: Proby
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Minello
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Quantin
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Jooste
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Binquet
authors: Mathieu
authors: M
authors: Hägi
authors: Morgane
authors: M
authors: Mounier
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Benzenine
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Hillon
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Maynadié
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors