Correlation between the prevalence of T-cell lymphomas and alcohol consumption

Abstract

Background and aims: Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that causes dependence, with many thousands of years in the history of mankind, being widely used in different cultures. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, alcohol is involved in the development of cancer, being directly associated with it. Considering that alcohol is involved in the initiation and dissemination of gastrointestinal malignancies, the objective of the study was to assess its role in the pathogenesis of T-cell lymphomas, as well as its possible correlation with chronic consumption.

Methods: The patient cohort was compiled from the Sixth Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army Navy General Hospital in Beijing, China. A total of 30 patients matched the criteria and were enrolled in the study. Statistical analysis of the raw data was performed using R Statistics version R 3.5.1. released on the 29.08.2018.

Results: Our data demonstrate that the most common extranodal involvment of T-cell lymphoma patients is represented in decreasing order by bone marrow, peritoneum, rhino-oropharynx and the liver-biliary system. Nodal involvement is mainly represented in decreasing order by the laterocervical, axillary, mediastinal and inguinal regions.

Conclusions: These findings may be of value in further research and practical/clinical settings. Fever is the most common clinical feature and was present in most studied patients.

Keywords: T-cell lymphomas; alcohol consumption; pathophysiology.

Figure 1

Percentage of drinkers according to the T-cell lymphoma subtypes. AITL-angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma; ALCL - anaplastic large cell lymphoma; ATLL - adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Figure 2

Drinking behavior according to the extranodal site involvement.

Figure 3

Drinking behavior according to the nodal site involvement.

Figure 4

Correlation between drinking behavior and symptoms.