INCREASED CONCENTRATIONS OF CHLORDANE IN ADIPOSE-TISSUE FROM NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA PATIENTS COMPARED WITH CONTROLS WITHOUT A MALIGNANT DISEASE

Chlordane is a pesticide which is lipophilic, bioaccumulates, and may cause immunological impairment in exposed subjects. The aim of this st udy was to determine the concentrations of chlordane and its metabolit es in cases with NHL and surgical controls without a malignant disease . Adipose tissue was obtained from the abdominal wall and analysis was performed using gas chromatograph coupled to mass spectrometer. The s tudy included 27 NHL cases of the B-cell type and 17 controls. Signifi cantly increased concentrations were found in NHL patients versus (vs) controls of trans-nonachlor, mean 98.9 vs 47.0, range 24.9-389 vs 16. 3-88.2 ng/g lipid (p = 0.002), cis-nonachlor, mean 17.1 vs 7.4, range 4.1-68.3 vs 1.7-13.6 (p = 0.010), oxy-chlordane, mean 39.7 vs 24.5, ra nge 8.5-144 vs 8.9-49.0, (p = 0.028) nonachlor III, mean 18.4 vs 8.7, range 6.3-67.6 vs 3.0-19.3 (p = 0.002) and sum of chlordanes, 180 vs 9 2.8, range 48.3-678 vs 37.0-164 ng/g lipid (p = 0.002). For cases with a concentration higher than the median for all subjects significantly increased odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were cal culated for trans-nonachlor (OR = 4.1, CI = 1.1-15), nonachlor LII (OR = 6.5, CI = 1.7-25), and sum of chlordanes (OR = 4.1, CI = 1.1-15); m edian concentrations were 61.2, 11.3, and 119 ng/g lipid, respectively .