Sumba PO, Kabiru EW, Namuyenga E, Fiore N, Otieno RO, Moormann AM, Orago AS, Rosenbaum PF, Rochford R. Microgeographic variations in Burkitt's lymphoma incidence correlate with differences in malnutrition, malaria and Epstein-Barr virus.
Br J Cancer 2010;
103:1736-41. [PMID:
21102592 PMCID:
PMC2994219 DOI:
10.1038/sj.bjc.6605947]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2010] [Revised: 08/17/2010] [Accepted: 09/14/2010] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (eBL) has been associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and holoendemic Plasmodium falciparum malaria. But recent evidence suggests that other risk factors are involved.
METHODS
We hypothesised that selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase (GPx), a surrogate of nutritional status, is an important biomarker for eBL risk. We measured plasma GPx, anthropometric markers of malnutrition, EBV viral loads and malaria parasitaemia in children aged 1-9 years (n=258) from two locations in Nyanza Province, Kenya, with higher-than-expected and lower-than-expected incidence of eBL. The study participants were malaria asymptomatic children from the community.
RESULTS
Children from eBL high-incidence areas had significantly lower GPx levels, high EBV viral load and more evidence of chronic malnutrition than children from eBL low-incidence areas (all P<0.001). Additionally, GPx levels were significantly lower in children with the highest EBV viral load and for those with P. falciparum infections (P=0.035 and P=0.004, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that selenium deficiency may be a risk factor for eBL.
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