Adipose Organochlorine Concentrations and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Denmark

Abstract

PP-30-208 Background/Aims: Exposure to organochlorines has been examined as a potential risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma with mixed results probably relating to differences in study design and geographic locale. Our purpose was to examine associations between organochlorine concentrations in prediagnostic adipose tissue samples and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Methods: We conducted a case-cohort study of 256 persons diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 256 sub-cohort persons selected from the 57,053 persons enrolled in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort between 1993 and 1997. We measured concentrations of 8 pesticides and 10 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in adipose tissue, collected upon enrollment and estimated risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma using Cox regression. Results: The results showed that the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma increased significantly (P linear-trend: 0.004) with increasing lipid concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). For cis-nonachlor, the upper adipose concentration stratum had a hazard ratio of 2.60 (95% CI: 1.08–6.28) when compared to the lowest stratum and for oxychlordane the 2 upper exposure strata were associated with a significant risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma when compared to the lowest stratum. The associations found for cis-nonachlor and oxychlordane were strongest amongst women. Adjustment for body mass index, education, smoking status and dietary intake of fat and fruit and vegetables only marginally affected the risk associations found for DDT, oxychlordane, and cis-nonachlor. Conclusion: This study shows a higher risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in association with higher exposure to DDT, cis-nonachlor, and oxychlordane. This is the first study of organochlorines and non-Hodgkin lymphoma using prediagnostic adipose tissue samples in the exposure assessment.