Lymphomas

Causes & Prevention

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.

The Causes of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma are Unknown, But the Disease Process is Well Understood

According to the Mayo Clinic, the causes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are unknown. But researchers believe that activation of certain abnormal genes may be involved in the development of all cancers, including lymphomas.

The Exact Causes of Hodgkin's Disease Are Unknown, But the Process is Well Understood

According to the Mayo Clinic, the exact cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is unknown.

However, it is well understood that a key step in the development of Hodgkin's disease involves the development of abnormal B cells, a type of lymph cell that is an important part of the immune system's response to foreign invaders.

What's in your vacuum cleaner dust? Will it lead to cancer? The link to cancer/lymphoma

Even though laws determine how some pesticides and herbicides are used on crops to minimize our exposure to toxic products, a study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (linked to pesticides) financed by the National Cancer Institute has led to the discovery that agricultural chemicals are in our immediate environment. They are in our homes in dust, and the amount increases as the acreage of nearby croplands increases.