RISKS OF NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA, MULTIPLE-MYELOMA, AND LEUKEMIA ASSOCIATED WITH COMMON MEDICATIONS

We utilized data from two Kaiser Permanente medical care programs to e valuate risks of hematopoietic and lymphoproliferative (HLP) malignanc ies after use of 14 common medications. The subjects were adult cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) (N = 94), multiple myeloma (N = 159), and leukemia (N = 257) and individually matched controls (N = 695). Ab stractors reviewed medical records and recorded med ication notations. Using a minimum 5-year exposure lag be tween first notation and malig nancy diagnosis, the risk of NHL was greater among plan members who we re prescribed amphet amines [odds ratio (OR) = 2.2; 95% confidence int erval (CI) = 1.1-4.8], lidocaine (OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.2-5.5), and mep robamate (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.03-4.3). The risk of NHL rose with incr easing number of medical record notations for amphetamines; however, t here was no association with number of notations for lidocaine or mepr obamate. The odds ratio for total leukemia was decreased among patient s who took chloramphenicol (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-0.97).