Evaluation of seasonality in the diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma in Turkey

Semih Başcı, Jale Yıldız, Fevzi Altuntaş, Bahar Uncu Ulu, Mehmet Sinan Dal, Tuğçe Nur Yiğenoğlu, Mehmet Bakırtaş, Derya Şahin, Tahir Darçın, Nuran Ahu Baysal, Dicle İskender, Merih Kızıl Çakar, Hikmettullah BATGİ, Alparslan Merdin, Sema Seçilmiş

Abstract

Introduction: Within subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is mostcommonly diagnosed, with an incidence of 6/100.000 in Turkey. Aetiology of DLBCL is unknown: several factors such asimmunosuppression, AIDS, transplantation, autoimmunity, UV radiation, pesticides, hair dyes and dietary intake arehypothesized to be related with increased risk. Here, we aimed to determine the relationship between the diagnosis time ofDLBCL and seasons.Material and Method: A total of 369 DLBCL patients, diagnosed in our centre were included in the study. Data related togender, age and time of diagnosis were analysed retrospectively.Results: Median age of patients with DLBCL included in the study was 61 (range 16–81). The number of female patients were178 (48.2%) and 191 (51.8%) were male. There was no relationship between the season of diagnosis time and DLBCL incidence(p:0,805).Conclusion: According to our literature review, this is the first study that sort for a relationship between DLBCL diagnosisfrequency and seasons in Turkey. We could not find a relationship between diagnosis time of DLBCL and seasons. This can beexplained by the fact that the diagnosis of DLBCL displays a homogeneous distribution throughout the year due to a numberof factors playing roles in the ethiopathogenesis of DLBCL.