Hongyu Wu¹, Kangmin Zhu, MD, PhD¹, John Potter, MD¹, Lynn Levin, PhD MPH², Edward Gorham, PhD MPH³, and Mona Shah, MPH¹. (1) US. Military Cancer Institute, 6900 Georgia Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20307-5001, 202-782-3521, hongyu.wu@na.amedd.army.mil, (2) Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (3) Naval Health Research Center, P.O. Box 85122, San Diego, CA 92186

Objective: Some studies have suggested that hepatitis C and possibly hepatitis B increase the risk of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Using data from the Selected Cancers Study, we investigated whether self-reported history of hepatitis was associated with NHL and whether the association differed between Caucasian and African American (AA) men. Method: A population-based case-control study was conducted. Cases were 1399 Caucasian and AA men aged 32-60 diagnosed with NHL between 1984 and 1988 and who lived in the regions of eight cancer registries. Controls were 1706 Caucasian and AA men who were frequency-matched to cases by age and cancer registry and selected through random-digit dialing. Men with a history of AIDS or HIV-related behaviors were excluded. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze NHL in relation to hepatitis reported 3 or more years prior to the diagnosis of NHL. Result: The adjusted OR for NHL associated with hepatitis was 0.92 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-1.37). Compared with Caucasian controls, Caucasian cases were not more likely to have a history of hepatitis (OR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.61-1.36). Among AA men, the corresponding OR was 1.28 (95% CI: 0.18-9.13). The results remain similar when B-cell NHL was analyzed as the outcome. Conclusion: History of hepatitis was not associated with the risk of NHL overall or for B-cell NHL for the two race groups, however, analysis based on more specific subtypes of NHL may be warranted.

Learning Objectives:

• Using data from the Selected Cancers Study, we investigated whether self-reported history of hepatitis was associated with NHL and whether the association differed between Caucasian and African American (AA) men.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.