Hepatitis B and C viruses and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a case-control study in Italy

• Published in: Infectious agents and cancer Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 27
• Main Authors: Taborelli, Martina, Polesel, Jerry, Montella, Maurizio, Libra, Massimo, Tedeschi, Rosamaria, Battiston, Monica, Spina, Michele, Di Raimondo, Francesco, Pinto, Antonio, Crispo, Anna, Grimaldi, Maria, Franceschi, Silvia, Dal Maso, Luigino, Serraino, Diego
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 23.06.2016; BioMed Central Ltd
• Subjects: Antibodies; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Clinical oncology; Development and progression; Dosage and administration; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Infectious Diseases; Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas; Oncology; Research Article; Risk factors; RNA; Tropical Medicine; Viral antibodies; Germany; Non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Case-control study; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus
• ISSN: 1750-9378; 1750-9378
• DOI: 10.1186/s13027-016-0073-x

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been consistently associated to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL); conversely, few studies have evaluated a comprehensive serological panel of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in NHL etiology. Methods We conducted a case-control study in Italy in 1999–2014, enrolling 571 incident, histologically confirmed NHLs and 1004 cancer-free matched controls. Study subjects provided serum for HCV and HBV testing and for HCV RNA. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Results Circulating HCV RNA was detected in 63 (11.1 %) NHL cases and 35 (3.5 %) controls (OR = 3.51, 95 % CI: 2.25–5.47). Chronic HBV infection (i.e., positive to HBV surface antigen - HBsAg + ) was found in 3.7 % of cases and 1.7 % of controls (OR = 1.95, 95 % CI: 1.00–3.81); a significantly elevated OR was observed for B-cell NHL (2.11, 95 % CI: 1.07–4.15). People with serological evidence of past HCV or HBV infection, vaccination against HBV, or detectable antibodies against HBV core antigen (anti-HBc + ) alone were not at increased NHL risk. Conclusions Our results support a role of chronic HCV infection in NHL in Italy and suggest an involvement of HBV infection. Associations were clearest for B-cell NHL and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Prevention and treatment of HCV and HBV infection may diminish NHL incidence, notably in areas with high prevalence of hepatitis viruses infection.