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© 2005 Oxford University Press
NEWS |
Studies Examine Whether Persistent Organic Agents May Be Responsible for Rise in Lymphoma Rates
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
The incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a cancer involving white blood cells of the immune system, has steadily risen, nearly doubling over the past 30 years. Some of the change is related to AIDS, which substantially increases the risk of NHL, and some may have resulted from better diagnosis, but the reasons for the long-term rise are largely unknown. Some researchers speculate that the increase is due in part to exposure to environmental agents.
Epidemiologic evidence points to one possible culprit—a class of chemicals called organochlorines, which include certain pesticides, polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs), and dioxins. Many have been manufactured in large scale since the 1930s, and their chemical properties make them resistant to degradation by water, sun, and microorganisms. So, even though most were banned or their use restricted in the l970s and l980s in developed countries, they are persistent pollutants in the air, water, and soil, and they accumulate
Pesticides
PBDE
The Larger Picture