NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA AND FAMILY HISTORY OF MALIGNANT-TUMORS IN A CASE-CONTROL STUDY (UNITED-STATES)

Using data from a case-control study in the United States (the Selecte d Cancers Study), we examined the relationship between non-Hodgkin's l ymphoma (NHL) and family history of different cancers. Cases were 1,51 1 men aged 31 to 59 years and diagnosed pathologically with non-Hodgki n's lymphoma during 1984-88. Controls were men, frequency-matched to c ases by age range and cancer registry (n = 1,910). All study subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were excluded from analyses. O ur results showed that the risk of NHL is associated with a history of lymphoma (odds ratio [OR] = 3.0, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-5.2) and hematologic cancer (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.2-3.4) in first-de gree relatives after adjustment for age, ethnic background, and educat ional level. Further analyses were performed for the subgroups defined by age at diagnosis (younger than 45 years of 45 years or older). The association of NHL with a family history of lymphoma and hematologic cancer was found primarily among men aged 45 and older (OR = 4.1, CI = 1.9-8.8 for lymphoma and OR = 2.3, CI = 1.3-4.0 for hematologic cance r). The association among men aged 45 and older did not vary by whethe r or not there were any familial patients diagnosed at the age of 45 o r older. No significant associations could be found for a family histo ry of lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, brain cancer, thyroid cancer, or myeloma. This study suggests that the familial risk of NHL is influen ced primarily by hematolymphoproliferative malignancies rather than ot her cancers. The familial effects of hematolymphoproliferative maligna ncies may be stronger for men aged 45 to 59, compared with those aged 31 to 44.