ADIPOSE-TISSUE CONCENTRATIONS OF DIOXINS AND DIBENZOFURANS IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASES AND IN PATIENTS WITHOUT A MALIGNANT DISEASE

Concentrations of dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) were analyse d in adipose tissue from seven patients with malignant lymphoprolifera tive diseases and 12 surgical patients without a malignant disease. Al l cases in the first group had reported potential exposure to PCDD and PCDF, Of the analysed congeners significantly higher concentrations o f 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodioxin, 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodioxin, and 2,3,4 ,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran were found in the cases with lymphoprolif erative diseases compared with the patients in the other group, Higher mean concentration of 2,3,7,8-TCDD was also found in the first group but not significantly so. Toxic equivalents of PCDD and PCDF were sign ificantly higher in the first group (mean 64.7 pg/g, range 19.9-187) t han in the second group (mean 29.7 pg/g, range 12.9-53.4). Even if the cases with lymphoproliferative diseases in this case series were pote ntially exposed to PCDD/PCDF in contrast to the other group, the obser ved differences may be of interest in relation to the aetiology of the se malignancies. Immunosuppression increases the risk for malignant ly mphoproliferative diseases, and PCDD/PCDF have established immunotoxic properties.