What Increases Your Risk
No one knows exactly what increases your risk of getting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Experts do agree that the disease is not caused by injury and is not contagious. The following risk factors may increase your chances of having the disease. However, most people with these risk factors do not ever have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and many people who have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma do not have any of these risk factors.1
- Sex. NHL is more common in men than in women.
- Age. The likelihood of getting NHL increases as you get older.
- Impaired immune system. NHL is most common among those who have an impaired immune system, an autoimmune disease, or HIV or AIDS. It also occurs among those who take immunosuppressant medications, such as following an organ transplant.
- Viral infection. A viral infection, such as with Epstein-Barr virus, increases the risk of developing NHL.
- Bacterial infection. Infection with Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of lymphoma involving the stomach.
- Environmental exposure. Exposure to agricultural pesticides or fertilizers, solvents and other chemicals, rubber processing, asbestos, and arsenic increases the risk of developing NHL.
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