RESEARCH - Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk increased by some autoimmune disorders

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Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk Increased by Some Autoimmune Disorders

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 22 - The risk of developing non-Hodgkin

lymphoma (NHL) is increased in certain, but not all, autoimmune

disorders, according to a report in the April 15th issue of Blood.

" Certain autoimmune disorders (Sjgren's syndrome, systemic lupus

erythematosus) are indeed associated with an increased risk of

lymphomas, not only in the organs affected by the autoimmune disease,

but also of lymphomas with less typical locations and histologies, "

Dr. Karin Ekstrm Smedby from Karolinska University Hospital,

Stockholm, told Reuters Health.

Dr. Smedby and associates investigated associations between a range of

autoimmune disorders and the risk of NHL and explored potential

variation in associations among NHL subtypes by histology and anatomic

site.

The risk of NHL was increased 6.5-fold in patients with Sjgren

syndrome, 2.7-fold in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and

2.6-fold in patients with hemolytic anemia, the authors report.

Among Sjgren syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus patients, there

was an increased risk of B-cell NHL and NHL of unknown lineage, the

report indicates, whereas hemolytic anemia patients faced a

significantly increased risk of B-cell NHL and diffuse B-cell

lymphoma.

Celiac disease, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis were not

associated with an increased risk of NHL overall, but there were

significant associations with certain NHL subtypes in patients with

celiac disease and psoriasis and among rheumatoid arthritis patients

who used corticosteroids or immunosuppressants.

Similarly, the investigators say, overall risk of NHL was not linked

to inflammatory bowel disorders, type 1 diabetes, sarcoidosis,

pernicious anemia, or multiple sclerosis.

" Our results further suggest new patterns of associations with some

NHL subtypes in specified autoimmune disorders, " the researchers

conclude.

" These patterns may be based on common mechanisms of lymphomagenesis,

which could be relevant for the development of the indicated NHL

subtypes in a group of autoimmune disorders as well as beyond the

setting of overt autoimmune disease. "

" We plan to investigate gene-environment interaction for autoimmune

disorders, and we're also discussing other biological markers that

could help us pinpoint mechanistic pathways, " Dr. Smedby said.

Blood 2008;111:4029-4038.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573357

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