Tobacco and alcohol consumption and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to test whether non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is associated with smoking or alcohol.

METHODS

A case-control study recruited NHL cases aged 18-64 in parts of England between 1998 and 2001. One control was matched to each case on sex, date of birth and area of residence. Self-reported histories of tobacco and alcohol consumption were collected during face-to-face interviews.

RESULTS

Among 700 cases and 915 controls, no association of smoking with the risk of NHL was observed [odds ratio (OR) = 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-1.28]. Risks were not raised with age started smoking, number of years smoked, and number of years stopped smoking. Compared with persons who drank alcohol once or twice a week, neither abstainers (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.64-1.67), nor consumers of alcohol one to five times a year (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.95-1.93), one to two times a month (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.87-1.65), three to four times a week (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.62-1.10), or most days (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.70-1.25) increased their risk of developing NHL. Average daily volume or high occasional alcohol consumption were not associated with NHL.

CONCLUSIONS

NHL was not associated with smoking or alcohol, but collaborative studies could further investigate the risks of rarer WHO subtypes following these exposures.