Risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and residential exposure to air pollution in an industrial area in northern Italy: a case-control study

Etiology of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A review from epidemiologic studies

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) contributes to significant cancer burden and mortality globally. In recent years, much insight into the causes of NHL has been gained by evaluating global differences through international collaboration and data pooling. NHL comprises different subtypes that are known to behave differently, exhibit different prognoses, and start in distinct cell types (B-cell, T-cell, and NK-cell, predominantly), and there is increasing evidence that NHL subtypes have different etiologies. Classification of NHL can be complex, with varying subtype frequencies, and is a consideration when evaluating geographic differences. Because of this, international pooling of well-executed epidemiologic studies has conferred power to evaluate NHL by subtype and confidence with minimal misclassification. Given the decreasing burden in some regions while cases rise in Asia, and especially China, this report focuses on a review of the established etiology of NHL from the epidemiologic literature in recent decades, highlighting work from China. Topics covered include demographic patterns and genetic determinants including family history of NHL, as well as infection and immunosuppression, lifestyle, environment, and certain occupational exposures contributing to increased disease risk.

Disparities in Trace Metal Levels in Hodgkin/Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients in Comparison with Controls

Lymphoma arises from cells of the immune system and trace metals augment the immune system and their imbalance may promote immunological disorders including tumorigenesis. The primary aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the levels of essential/toxic trace metals in the nails of non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphomas patients in comparison with controls. The samples collected from patients and controls were digested in the mixture of HNO₃-HClO₄ and selected trace metals were analysed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results showed that mean concentrations of some elements (Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu and Cr) in nails of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) than that of the controls whereas mean contents of Pb, Cu, Cd and Cr were observed to be significantly higher in the nails of Hodgkin lymphoma patients compared with healthy donors. Additionally, correlation study pointed out significantly diverse mutual associations of the trace metals among the patients and controls. The present results revealed noticeable disparities in the metal concentrations based on gender, food habits, tobacco use and types/stages of the donor's groups. Overall, the pathogenesis of disease significantly affected the trace metal balance in both patients' groups.

Application of the double kernel density approach to the analysis of cancer incidence in a major metropolitan area

RATIONALE

Although cancer is a main cause of human morbidity worldwide, relatively small numbers of new cancer cases are recorded annually in single urban areas. This makes the association between cancer morbidity and environmental risk factors, such as ambient air pollution, difficult to detect using traditional methods of analysis based on age standardized rates and zonal estimates.

STUDY GOAL

The present study investigates the association between air pollution and cancer morbidity in the Greater Haifa Metropolitan Area in Israel by comparing two analytical techniques: the traditional zonal approach and more recently developed Double Kernel Density (DKD) tools. While the first approach uses age adjusted Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIRs) for small census areas, the second approach estimates the areal density of cancer cases, normalized by the areal density of background population in which cancer events occurred. Both analyses control for several potential confounders, including air pollution, proximities to main industrial facilities and socio-demographic attributes.

RESULTS

Air pollution variables and distances to industrial facilities emerged as statistically significant predictors of lung and NHL cancer morbidity in the DKD-based models (p<0.05) but not in the models based on SIRs estimates (p>0.2).

CONCLUSION

DKD models appear to be a more sensitive tool for assessing potential environmental risks than traditional SIR-based models, because DKD estimates do not depend on a priory geographic delineations of statistical zones and produce a smooth and continuous disease 'risk surface' covering the entire study area. We suggest using the DKD method in similar studies of the effect of ambient air pollution on chronic morbidity, especially in cases in which the number of statistical areas available for aggregation and comparison is small and recorded morbidity events are relatively rare.

Lifestyle factors and risk of leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case-control study

PURPOSE

Risk factors for leukemia and lymphomas in adults are largely unknown. This study was aimed at evaluating the association between lifestyle factors and the risk of hematological malignancies in an adult population.

METHODS

Data were drawn from a population-based case-control study carried out in Italy and included 294 cases (199 lymphoid and 95 myeloid) and 279 controls. Analyses were performed using standard multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Hair dye use for at least 15 years was associated with a higher risk of lymphoid malignancies among females (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.0-4.9, p = 0.036, test for trend). Furthermore, a protective effect of a moderate to heavy tea consumption on the risk of myeloid malignancies was observed (OR 0.4, 95 % CI 0.2-0.9, p = 0.017). No association was found for the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm the potential carcinogenic effect of prolonged hair dye use observed in previous investigations. The excess risk could be explained by exposure to a higher concentration of toxic compounds in hair products used in the past. The protective effect of regular tea consumption observed in an area with a very high prevalence of black tea consumers deserves further investigation.

Risk of leukaemia and residential exposure to air pollution in an industrial area in Northern Italy: a case-control study

Leukaemia risk in adult populations exposed to environmental air pollution is poorly investigated. We have carried out a population-based case-control study in an area that included a fossil fuel power plant, a coke oven and two big chemical industries. Information on residential history and several risk factors for leukaemia was obtained from 164 cases, diagnosed between 2002 and 2005, and 279 controls. A higher risk for subjects residing in polluted areas was observed, but statistical significance was not reached (adjusted OR = 1.11 and 1.56 for subjects living in moderately and in heavily polluted zones, respectively, p = 0.190). Results suggest a possible aetiological role of residential air pollution from industrial sites on the risk of developing leukaemia in adult populations. However, the proportion of eligible subjects excluded from the study and the lack of any measure of air pollution prevent definitive conclusions from being drawn.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 4-anilinothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based hydroxamic acid derivatives as novel histone deacetylase inhibitors

A series of 4-anilinothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based hydroxamic acid derivatives as novel HDACs inhibitors were designed, synthesized and evaluated. Most of these compounds displayed good to excellent inhibitory activities against HDAC1, 3, 6. The IC50 values of compound 10r against HDAC1, HDAC3, HDAC6 was 1.14 ± 0.03 nM, 3.56 ± 0.08 nM, 11.43 ± 0.12 nM. Compound 10r noticeably up-regulated the level of histone H3 acetylation compared to the SAHA. Most of the compounds showed the strong anti-proliferative activity against human cancer cell lines including RMPI8226 and HCT-116. The IC50 values of Compounds 10r and 10t against RPMI8226 was 2.39 ± 0.20 μM, 1.41 ± 0.44 μM, respectively, and the HCT-116 was sensitive to the compounds 10h, 10 m, 10r, 10 w with the IC50 values <1.9 μM.