| A case-control study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that a chronic antigenic stimulus to the immune system is associated with an increased risk to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Cases were ascertained over a four year period from January 1, 1976 through December 31, 1979 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Each case was individually matched to a non-cancer hospital control on age, race, sex, and year of diagnosis. One hundred fifty-three cases were identified who met the study criteria, 109 of whom were traced and interviewed.;The results did not support the chronic antigenic stimulation hypothesis. The odds ratio estimate for chronic stimulation was 0.73 (0.42, 1.27). While this is not statistically different from one, the direction of the association is opposite to what was expected. Our ability to reject the hypothesis was not affected when adjusted for potentially confounding variables. There was some indication that a potential selection bias may have been responsible for the inverse direction of this association but this probably had little affect on our inability to support the original hypothesis.;Data were collected from both the medical chart and a telephone interview. Data items included past history of selected chronic infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, history of allergic conditions, history of surgical removal of immune system related tissue, drug and medication history, radiation exposure history, occupational history, and a history of exposure to various chemical agents. Analyses were done using a matched 2 x 2 table approach and conditional logistic regression. |
