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Lymphoma Risk Factors
Risk factors vary by the type of lymphoma. Common factors include:
- Age – Some lymphomas such as Hodgkin’s disease are common in younger people, but most occur in people as they get older.
- Autoimmune diseases – Autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren syndrome — and the drugs used to treat them — may increase the risk for certain lymphoma types.
- Chemical exposure – Long-term exposure to pesticides, benzenes and petrochemicals may increase your risk.
- Smoking – Tobacco exposure, especially smoking, increases your risk.
- Family history – Your risk of developing lymphoma is increased if a family member (especially a first-degree relative such as a parent or sibling) has had the disease.
- Geography – Hodgkin’s disease is less common in Asian countries.
- Infections – Infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human T-cell leukemia virus and human herpes virus-8, increase your risk.
- Radiation exposure – Exposure to high levels of radiation — such as in a nuclear accident — increases your risk.
- Race and sex – Some forms of lymphoma are more prevalent depending on your race or sex.
Myeloma Risk Factors
Risk factors vary by the type of myeloma. Common risk factors include:
- Age – The risk of myeloma increases with age, particularly in people over the age of 60.
- Family history – A family history (including a parent or sibling) of myeloma can increase your risk.
- Obesity – Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing myeloma.
- Personal history – Having a history of solitary plasmacytoma (a tumor of the bone or soft tissue) or other plasma cell disorders such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), increases your risk.
- Race – Myeloma is more common in African Americans than in other races.
- Sex – Myeloma is more common in men than in women.
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