1.2 Risk factors
The risk factors for developing Hodgkin lymphoma and DLBCL include:
- age – all ages can develop these lymphomas; however, DLBCL is most common in middle-aged to older adults, while Hodgkin lymphoma is common in adolescents and young adults as well as older adults
- intrinsic immunosuppression – patients who have received an organ transplant, are HIV-positive or are being therapeutically treated with immunosuppressants
- viral infection with Epstein-Barr virus in conjunction with immune deficiency
- family history of lymphoproliferative disorder.
Risk factors specific to DLBCL are:
- gender – males have a slightly higher risk
- a high BMI
- B-cell-activating autoimmune diseases (Cerhan et al. 2014)
- prolonged hair dye use (Parodi et al. 2016)
- obesity (Bhaskaran et al. 2014)
- personal or family history of a lymphoproliferative disorder.