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Reproductive factors, menopausal hormone therapy, and risk of non-Hodgkin, diffuse large B-cell and follicular lymphomas: a UK case–control study

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Abstract

Background

Most non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes occur more among men than women. Since sex hormones may influence immune function, female hormones may be involved. To investigate the relationship between NHL subtypes and reproductive factors, findings from a UK population-based case–control study (1998–2003) are presented.

Methods

Female cases (n = 389) and controls (n = 394) aged 16–69 reported their reproductive histories. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using unconditional logistic regression.

Results

No associations were found for age at menarche, parity, or age at first child. Among postmenopausal women, hormone therapy (HT) users had risks of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) below one compared to non-users (OR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.5,1.2; OR = 0.6, 95% CI 0.4,1.0, respectively). Estimates agree with other reports: meta-analyses gave pooled ORs of 0.8 (95% CI 0.6,0.9) for DLBCL and 1.0 (95% CI 0.8,1.2) for FL. In our study, ORs decreased with years of HT use: less and more than 5 years being 0.9 (95% CI 0.5,1.5) and 0.6 (95% CI 0.3,1.1) for DLBCL (p-trend = 0.22), and 0.8 (95% CI 0.4,1.4) and 0.4 (95% CI 0.2,0.9) for FL (p-trend = 0.06).

Conclusion

For greater power to investigate the association of hormones with DLBCL, FL, and rarer NHL subtypes, pooling data through the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph) is warranted.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Professor Andrew Jack, Dr Bridget Wilkins and Dr Sharon Barrans for reviewing the diagnoses.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Funding

The EGU Lymphoma Case–Control Study is supported by Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, UK. Katherine Mildon is supported by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology and Genetics Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK

    Katherine H. Mildon, Pat Ansell, Eve Roman & Eleanor V. Kane

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  1. Katherine H. Mildon
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  2. Pat Ansell
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  3. Eve Roman
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  4. Eleanor V. Kane
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Correspondence to Eleanor V. Kane.

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Mildon, K.H., Ansell, P., Roman, E. et al. Reproductive factors, menopausal hormone therapy, and risk of non-Hodgkin, diffuse large B-cell and follicular lymphomas: a UK case–control study. Cancer Causes Control 21, 2079–2083 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9626-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9626-2

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