Occupational, environmental, and life-style factors associated with the risk of hematolymphopoietic malignancies in women

Background: The etiology of lymphomas, leukemias,, and multiple myeloma is still largely unknown, The known risk factors (ionizing radiation, solvent exposure, pesticide exposure, immunosuppression) explain only a small propo rtion of the cases that occur. Methods: We conducted a multicenter population-based case-control study on hematolympho-poietic malignancies in Italy and interviewed 2,011 women (1,1 83 cases and 828 controls). Results: There Was a suggestion of a positive association between smoking a nd the risk of non-Hodgkin's, lymphoma + chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A sl ight: increased: risk of leukemias was observed among women using permanent hair dye. Housewives were at increased risk for leukemia and multiple myel oma, The risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas + chronic lymphocytic leukemia leu kemias, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease increased among women emplo yed as hairdressers and textile workers. Teachers were at increased risk fo r non-Hodgkin's lymphomas + chronic lymphocytic leukemia, leukemias, and Ho dgkin's disease. Conclusions: These results confirm previous associations and may provide ad ditional clues to some determinants of hematolymphopoietic malignancies in women. Am.. Ind. Med. 36:60-69; 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.