HCV Infection Linked with Increased Risk of Lymphoma

[Guest guest]

HCV Infection Linked with Increased Risk of Lymphoma

Lymphomas are cancer cells that began, and are present, in the

lymphatic system; a network of bean-shaped nodes located throughout

the body with the job of fighting infection.

Research increasingly suggests that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection

may play a role in promoting the development of malignant lymphoma.

However, previous studies have been too small to establish an

association between HCV infection and specific lymphoma subtypes.

As described in the December 2006 issue of Gastroenterology, German

researchers conducted a large case-control study to assess the link

between hepatitis C and lymphoma. The analysis included data from

1807 case patients with newly diagnosed lymphoid malignancy and 1788

control subjects without lymphoma in 5 European countries. Cases and

controls were matched by age, sex, and study center. HIV positive

patients and organ transplant recipients - groups at higher risk of

lymphoma due to immune suppression - were excluded.

Results

• HCV infection was detected in 53 patients with lymphoma (2.9%) and

in 41 control subjects (2.3%) (OR 1.42).

• When the analysis was restricted to individuals who tested positive

for HCV RNA (indicating persistent infection and active viral

replication), the OR was 1.82.

• In subtype-specific analyses, HCV prevalence was associated with

diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (OR 2.19), but not with chronic

lymphocytic leukemia or follicular, Hodgkin's, or T-cell lymphoma.

• The sample size was not sufficient to derive any conclusions

regarding rare types such as splenic marginal zone lymphoma.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the authors wrote, " These results support a model that

chronic HCV replication contributes to lymphomagenesis and establish

a specific role of HCV infection in the pathogenesis of diffuse large

B-cell lymphoma. "

German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.