Hepatitis C linked to lymphoma

People infected with hepatitis C virus have a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) describes a group of cancers arising from lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It is distinct from Hodgkin's lymphoma in its pathologic features, factors affecting it, common sites of involvement in the body, clinical behaviour, and treatment. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may develop in any organ associated with the lymphatic system (e.g. spleen, lymph nodes, or tonsils). In a recent study it has been found that HCV infection doubles the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. To assess the relationship between Hepatitis C virus and lymphoma, Canadian researchers conducted a population-based study in British Columbia, involving 795 patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma and 697 subjects without lymphoma. The results showed that 2.4 percent of the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were also infected with HCV compared with 0.7 percent of the comparison subjects. The greatest risk was associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma, with 7.3-fold and 6.1-times the risk. The study points to the possible association between HCV infection and the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.