Follicular lymphoma risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sowminya Arikapudi, M.B,B.S. [2]

The risk factors include viruses, certain chemicals such as hair dyes and immunodeficiency states.

Risk factors for follicular lymphoma include^[1][2]:

• Viruses:
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
  • Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type I,
  • Herpesvirus-associated with Kaposi sarcoma (ie, human herpesvirus [HHV]-8 )
  • Hepatitis B and C viruses
• Chemicals:
  • Defoliants (eg, Agent Orange)
  • Hair dyes

• Immunodeficiency states:
  • Congenital immunodeficiencies
  • Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Most lymphomas associated with HIV are intermediate-grade or high-grade lymphomas.
  • Patients who have been on immunosuppressant drugs after organ transplantation. Most of these lymphomas are diffuse or high-grade lymphomas.
  • Autoimmune diseases