Supradiaphragmatic Presentation of Non‐Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Men Occupationally Exposed to Organic Solvents

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Abstract
Using a standardized interview schedule, occupational exposure to organic solvents was investigated in 61 consecutive male patients with the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma. When exposure was defined as handling of organic solvents every working day for at least 1 yr, 23 patients were exposed and 38 non-exposed. Of 15 patients with clinical stage I-II above the diaphragm, 12 (80%) were occupationally exposed to organic solvents. Only 1 (11%) of 9 patients with clinical stage I-II disease located below the diaphragm was exposed. Thirty-seven patients had clinical stage III-IV disease at the time of diagnosis and 10 (27%) of these were exposed. The predominance of exposed patients in the group with stage I-II disease above the diaphragm is significant and indicates a relation between exposure to organic solvents and supradiaphragmatic presentation of non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma. No correlation occurred between exposure and the morphology of the lymphomas.