The cause of Hodgkin lymphoma is still unclear, and may be related to many factors, such as genetic factors and viral infections. Siblings of the same sex in patients with HL have a 10-fold higher risk of developing HL than their non-gay siblings. It has been reported that infection with viruses such as EBV and HIV may also be a causative factor in HL. In addition, smoking may also be associated with the onset of HL.
1. Virus infection
Epstein-Barr virus is a herpes virus of B-loving lymphocytes. About 90% of humans have acquired EPV infection in early adulthood. In developing countries, EPV infection often occurs in childhood, but in developed countries, EPV infection often occurs delayed in teenage adolescents, and about 30% of new cases during this period are associated with a history of infectious mononucleosis syndrome.
People with a history of infectious mononucleosis are up to 3 times more likely to subsequently develop Hodgkin lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma patients had higher levels of antibodies to viral-shell antigens than in the control group, and this antibody was elevated many years before tumorigenesis.
2. Genetic factors
The recognition that genetic alterations are one of the causes of Hodgkin lymphoma stems from studies that show that monozygotic twins are more than 100 times more likely to develop Hodgkin lymphoma than bifide twins. First-degree relatives of Hodgkin lymphoma patients also had a 5-fold increased risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma.
3. Other factors
In addition to viruses and heredity that may be the cause of Hodgkin lymphoma, there is some epidemiological evidence of socioeconomic, fertility, and occupational factors. Low socioeconomic status was associated with a high incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma; birth attendance appeared to be protective of the development of Hodgkin lymphoma in women; and a history of exposure to wood dust, benzene, or nitrite oxides was associated with a high incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma.