Aspirin and Other Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs in Relation to Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk in Northern Denmark

There are few known modifiable risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma, but the recent finding of an inverse association between routine regular-strength aspirin use and Hodgkin lymphoma risk Suggests that aspirin may protect against Hodgkin lymphoma development. To further investigate this association using prospectively collected data, we conducted a population-based case-control study in northern Denmark. A total of 478 incident Hodgkin lymphoma cases were identified in nationwide health-care databases from 1991 to 2008. Ten population controls were matched to each case on age, sex, and county using risk-set sampling. Use of aspirin, selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) from 1989 to 2007 was ascertained by linkage to a population-based prescription database. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios for associations between medication use and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for ever use (>2 prescriptions) compared with never/rare use (<= 2 prescriptions) of low-dose aspirin was 0.7 (0.5-1.2). The association with low-dose aspirin use did not vary appreciably by recentness, duration, or intensity of use. Recent use (>2 prescriptions in the 1-2 years before the index date), short-term use (<7 years), and medium/high-intensity use (>= 25% of duration of use covered by prescription) of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors or other NSAIDs was associated with increased Hodgkin lymphoma risk possibly due to prodromal symptoms among cases. In conclusion, our results provide some evidence of a protective effect of low-dose aspirin, but not other NSAIDs, against Hodgkin lymphoma development. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(1); 59-64, (C)2010 AACR.