(Press-News.org) Contact information: Kristen Woodward
media@fredhutch.org
206-667-2210
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Study finds link between allergies and increased risk of blood cancers in women
Gender may play a role in the association of chronic immune stimulation and development of hematologic cancers
SEATTLE – A team of scientists looking into the interplay of the immune system and cancer have found a link between a history of airborne allergies – in particular to plants, grass and trees – with risk of blood cancers in women.
Notably, the study did not find the same association in men, which suggests a possible gender-specific role in chronic stimulation of the immune system that may lead to the development of hematologic cancers. The findings are published online today ahead of the December print issue of the American Journal of Hematology.
"To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first study to suggest important gender differences in the association between allergies and hematologic malignancies," wrote first author Mazyar Shadman, M.D., M.P.H., a senior fellow in the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
According to Shadman, who led the research, the immune system's potential role in cancer causation is a focus of intense scientific interest. "If your immune system is over-reactive, then you have problems; if it's under-reactive, you're going to have problems. Increasing evidence indicates that dysregulation of the immune system, such as you find in allergic and autoimmune disorders, can affect survival of cells in developing tumors."
For the study, Shadman, principal investigator Emily White, Ph.D., of the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutch and their colleagues drew on a large, population-based sample of men and women from the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort, which included people aged 50-76 years old from western Washington. The study participants answered a 24-page questionnaire that focused on three major areas: health history and cancer risk factors, medication and supplement use, and diet. Participants provided information on age, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, diet (fruit and vegetable intake), and other lifestyle characteristics, self-rated health, medical history, and family history of leukemia or lymphoma.
History of asthma and allergies was also taken, including allergies to plants, grasses or trees; mold or dust; cats, dogs or other animals; insect bites or stings; foods; and medications.
Of the 79,300 VITAL participants who filled out the questionnaires, more than 66,000 individuals were selected after eliminating those who had a prior history of malignancies other than non-melanoma skin cancers and missing information on baseline cancer history.
Participants were followed for a median of eight years until they withdrew from the study, moved away, had a cancer diagnosis other than hematologic malignancy or non-melanoma skin cancer, or died. Incidence of hematologic malignancies and other cancers was identified via the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registry of western Washington.
Of the participants, 681 developed a hematologic malignancy during the follow-up period. These participants were more likely to be male, to have two or more first-degree relatives with a family history of leukemia or lymphoma, to be less active and rank their health status as low. A history of allergies to airborne antigens was associated with a higher risk of hematologic malignancies. The most statistically significant association was seen with allergies to plants, grass and trees.
Further, the study looked at associations between the different subtypes of allergies and hematologic malignancies and found that a history of allergies to plants, grass and trees was significantly associated with mature B-cell neoplasms, one of four major categories of lymphoma. There was also an increased risk of plasma-cell neoplasms for participants who reported a history of allergies to cats, dogs or other animals. Plasma-cell neoplasms are conditions, both cancerous and noncancerous, in which the body makes too many plasma cells.
When stratified by gender, the incidence of blood cancers in response to these allergens was increased in women but not in men. The reason for this is as yet unknown.
"It is tempting to speculate that the additional effect of allergy may reach statistical significance in women because of their lower baseline risk for the development of hematologic malignancies compared to men," the authors wrote. "However, hormonal effects on the immune system and interactions with carcinogenesis may offer an alternative biological explanation that will require further mechanical studies, in particular if our findings are replicated in an independent study cohort."
The data analysis took into account potential confounding factors such as sex, race/ethnicity, education, history of smoking, consumption of vegetables and fruits, level of exercise, family history of leukemia/lymphoma and self-reported health status. Types of allergy medication participants used were not controlled for. "It's tough to eliminate allergy treatment as a confounder, because just about everyone with allergies is on some medication. But none of the allergy medications are known to cause cancer," Shadman said.
The authors cite the study's strengths as its large population size, the comprehensive baseline data regarding cancer risk and medical conditions, its prospective design and its use of the SEER registry, an award-winning cancer registry program based at Fred Hutch. Meanwhile the authors acknowledge the study's limitations, namely the reliance on self-reporting of allergies, the limitation of soliciting answers about current allergies only, and particularly the limited number of hematologic cancers for each subset of allergy types.
"Given the limited number of cases within each subtype of hematologic cancer, the risk estimates need to be interpreted with caution … and the possibility of chance finding due to multiple testing should be recognized," Shadman and colleagues wrote.
INFORMATION:
Grants from the National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health funded the research.
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, home to three Nobel laureates, interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists seek new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Fred Hutch's pioneering work in bone marrow transplantation led to the development of immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to treat cancer with minimal side effects. An independent, nonprofit research institute based in Seattle, Fred Hutch houses the nation's first and largest cancer prevention research program, as well as the clinical coordinating center of the Women's Health Initiative and the international headquarters of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. Private contributions are essential for enabling Fred Hutch scientists to explore novel research opportunities that lead to important medical breakthroughs. For more information visit http://www.fredhutch.org or follow Fred Hutch on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
Study finds link between allergies and increased risk of blood cancers in women
Gender may play a role in the association of chronic immune stimulation and development of hematologic cancers
2013-11-23
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Paths not taken: Notch signaling pathway keeps immature T cells on the right track
2013-11-23
Paths not taken: Notch signaling pathway keeps immature T cells on the right track
Implications for fighting T-cell leukemias
PHILADELPHIA - The lab of Avinash Bhandoola, PhD, professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has studied ...
Stuck on flu
2013-11-23
Stuck on flu
How a sugar-rich mucus barrier traps the virus -- and it gets free to infect
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown for the first time how influenza A viruses snip through a protective mucus net ...
Evidence of jet of high-energy particles from Milky Way's black hole found by astronomers
2013-11-23
Evidence of jet of high-energy particles from Milky Way's black hole found by astronomers
For decades, astronomers have sought strong evidence that the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy is producing a jet of ...
UCLA, Emory researchers find a chemical signature for 'fast' form of Parkinson's
2013-11-22
UCLA, Emory researchers find a chemical signature for 'fast' form of Parkinson's
Earlier detection may provide more effective disease management
The physical decline experienced by Parkinson's disease patients eventually leads to disability and ...
Pre-industrial rise in greenhouse gases had natural and anthropogenic causes
2013-11-22
Pre-industrial rise in greenhouse gases had natural and anthropogenic causes
CORVALLIS, Ore. – For years scientists have intensely argued over whether increases of potent methane gas concentrations in the atmosphere – from about 5,000 years ago to the start ...
Preschoolers exposure to television can stall their cognitive development
2013-11-22
Preschoolers exposure to television can stall their cognitive development
Children with TVs in the bedroom linked to weak understanding of mental states
Washington, DC (November 19, 2013) – Television is a powerful agent of development for children, ...
Patients with diabetes who use mail order pharmacy are less likely to visit ERs
2013-11-22
Patients with diabetes who use mail order pharmacy are less likely to visit ERs
OAKLAND, Calif. — Patients with diabetes who received prescribed heart medications by mail were less likely to visit the emergency room than those patients who picked up prescriptions ...
Archaeologists discover largest, oldest wine cellar in Near East
2013-11-22
Archaeologists discover largest, oldest wine cellar in Near East
3,700 year-old store room held 2,000 liters of strong, sweet wine
Would you drink wine flavored with mint, honey and a dash of psychotropic resins? Ancient Canaanites did more than 3,000 years ago.
Archaeologists ...
Found: 1 of civilization's oldest wine cellars?
2013-11-22
Found: 1 of civilization's oldest wine cellars?
Cellar held equivalent of nearly 3,000 bottles of reds and whites; findings to be released Friday
WASHINGTON—A team of American and Israeli researchers has unearthed what could be the largest and oldest wine cellar ...
Investments in aging biology research will pay longevity dividend, scientists say
2013-11-22
Investments in aging biology research will pay longevity dividend, scientists say
Finding a way to slow the biological processes of aging will do more to extend the period of healthy life in humans than attacking individual diseases alone, according to some of the nation's ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
UMaine research examines best methods for growing Atlantic sea scallops
Medical cannabis could speed recovery, especially at community recovery homes
Study assesses U.S. image amid weakening of democracy
Two scientific researchers to receive 2025 Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships for Brain Health
Researchers improve chemical reaction that underpins products from foods to fuels
Texas Tech to develop semiconductor power devices through $6 million grant
Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells
Hot Schrödinger cat states created
How cells repair their power plants
Oxygen is running low in inland waters—and humans are to blame
ACP’s Best Practice Advice addresses use of cannabis, cannabinoids for chronic noncancer pain
Beyond photorespiration: A systematic approach to unlocking enhanced plant productivity
How a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus
Exposure to wildfire smoke linked with worsening mental health conditions
Research uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections
Many older adults send their doctors portal messages, but who pays?
Fine particulate matter from 2020 California wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits
Gender inequity in institutional leadership roles in US academic medical centers
Pancreatic cells ‘remember’ epigenetic precancerous marks without genetic sequence mutations
Rare combination of ovarian tumors found in one patient
AI-driven clinical recommendations may aid physician decision making to improve quality of care
Artificial intelligence has potential to aid physician decisions during virtual urgent care
ACP and Annals of Internal Medicine present breaking scientific news at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2025
New study reveals polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics
Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people
Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance
Pre-eclampsia is associated with earlier onset and higher incidence of cardiovascular risk factors
Warwick astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep
Soil conditions significantly increase rainfall in world’s megastorm hotspots
NK cells complexed with bispecific antibody yield high response rates in patients with lymphoma
[Press-News.org] Study finds link between allergies and increased risk of blood cancers in womenGender may play a role in the association of chronic immune stimulation and development of hematologic cancers