Seasonal variation in the incidence of Hodgkin's disease

Earlier literature suggested there may be a seasonal rhythm of onset of Hod gkin's disease. This issue has been re-examined using population-based pros pectively-collected data with high ascertainment levels, The Data Collectio n Study (DCS) of the Leukaemia Research Fund (LRF) Centre for Clinical Epid emiology (University of Leeds) generated the information used, which was ba sed on a population of 13.5 million - about one quarter of England and Wale s - over 10 years. The RYE histopathological classification was employed. T he findings show that in patients with nodular sclerosing histopathology th ere was a highly significant circannual rhythm with a low amplitude (extent of seasonal variation) and a peas in March. A significant, but different, rhythm with a high amplitude and a peal; in August was found in lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's disease, However, this finding is less certain, due t o smaller numbers and a lower significance level. The main conclusion is th at there is a highly significant seasonality in nodular sclerosing Hodgkin' s disease. The findings provide further evidence that nodular sclerosing an d lymphocyte predominant may be two different diseases. The differing seaso nality rhythms may provide aetiological clues.