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Lymphoma and Asbestos Exposure

The term "lymphoma" refers to a group of cancers whose origins can be traced to the lymphatic system. There are two major categories of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), which is more common of the two. Lymphomas, which derives from the Greek prefix "lymph" (location of cancer) and the Greek suffix "oma" (denoting tumor), occur when a lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) suffers a malignant change in cellular reproduction. The cells multiply at an alarming rate and soon crowd out healthy cells and form tumors. This results in enlarged lymph nodes or various other elements of the immune system.

Lymphomas are considered to be a type of hematological malignancies, which are types of cancer that attack blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Approximately 53 percent of annually reported blood cancers are lymphomas, which is the fifth most common cancer in men and women in the U.S. The average age at diagnosis is 60 years old, and the five year survival rate for people with NHL is 63 percent.

Incidence of Asbestos Exposure and Lymphoma

One of the first studies to observe a relation between asbestos exposure and lymphoma was published in Lancet, a British medical journal, in 1982. The study reported a surplus of large cell lymphomas primary to the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity, which centered on male patients with considerable exposure to asbestos. Multiple other studies have also observed an incidence of lymphomas in persons exposed to asbestos.

In 2001, a study was published that reviewed the epidemiological literature of six cohort studies and 16 case-control studies related to asbestos and lymphomas, all of which were published in or before 1999. The study concluded that the combined evidence indicates there is an increased risk of developing lymphomas with asbestos exposure. Since the analysis provided evidence for a weakly increased risk, the authors of the study also concluded that more research should be done to define such risks.

The rationale for the connection between asbestos and lymphoma lies in the ability of asbestos fibers to physically reach the lymph nodes and other part of the immune system. Several documented studies have been unable to discern a relationship between asbestos exposure and the development of lymphomas. Due to these inconsistencies in scientific research, further investigation is required to better comprehend the feasible relationship between asbestos and malignant lymphomas.

Sources:

1. Kagan, E., Jacobson, R., Yeung, K., et al. "Asbestos-associated neoplasms of B cell lineage". (1979). Am J Med: 325-330.
2. Kishimoto T., Ono T., Okada, K. "Acute myelocytic leukemia after exposure to asbestos". (1988). Cancer: 787-90.
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2840193.
4. Tanvetyanon, T., Elmishad, A., Carbone, M. "Development of malignant mesothelioma during treatment for prolymphocytic leukemia". (2005). Anticancer Research: 429-433.

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