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Meta-analysis: Smoking duration, intensity increased risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma
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Current smokers are at a 35% increased risk for developing Hodgkin’s lymphoma, according to a recent meta-analysis.
Researchers conducted a literature search for all observational studies evaluating smoking’s link to Hodgkin’s lymphoma through December 2010. They narrowed the 714 articles to 17 included in this meta-analysis.
Results indicated that current smokers (OR=1.35; 95% CI 1.17-1.27) and ever smokers (OR=1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.27) were both at increased risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma; however, former smokers were not.
Because of the link found between smoking and risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the researchers conducted several subset analyses to further define this link.
They found that data from the five studies reporting on men showed a 78% increased risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma among men who were current smokers. In addition, although current smokers aged 30 to 40 years only had 28% increased risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, this risk increased to 77% in current smokers older than 40 years.
In addition, the duration and intensity of smoking was also associated with an increased risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“Interestingly, there seems to be a direct relationship between higher numbers of cigarettes smoked per day, years of smoking and pack-years and an increased risk of developing Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” the researchers wrote. “There was no apparent increased risk for Hodgkin’s lymphoma in individuals who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, but this risk increased to 27% in individuals who smoked up to 20 cigarettes per day and 51% of people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day.”
For more information:
- Castillo JJ. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2011:doi:10.1200/JCO.2011.35.4449.