Risks for childhood Hodgkin lymphoma

Some things can affect your child's risk, or chance, of developing cancer. Certain behaviours, substances or conditions can increase or decrease the risk. Most cancers are the result of many risks. But sometimes cancer develops in children who don't have any risks.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) can develop in children of any age but occurs most frequently in teenagers and young adults 15 to 30 years old. More boys than girls develop childhood HL.

Some studies also suggest children with Asian, Pacific Islander or Indigenous heritage may be less likely to develop HL than children of other ethnicities. More research is needed to confirm and determine why.

A few things could increase your child's risk of HL. Most of these risks can't be changed. Until we learn more about these risks, there are no specific ways to lower your child's risk for HL.

The following can increase the risk for childhood HL:

Certain infections

Family history of Hodgkin lymphoma

Weak immune system

Genetic conditions

Infections with the following viruses increase the risk of developing childhood HL.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a type of herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis (also called mono, or the kissing disease).

Learn more about Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV weakens the body's immune system and may leave people vulnerable to infection and certain types of cancer. Infection with HIV increases the risk of HL in children.

Learn more about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Children with a sibling who has or had Hodgkin lymphoma have an increased risk of HL. The risk is greater if this sibling is their twin, and greatest if they are identical twins. A child's risk of developing HL is also increased when a parent has or had the disease, but not as much as when their sibling has developed it.

More research is needed to determine why a family history of HL increases a child's risk of developing the disease.

Having a weak immune system (called immunosuppression) increases a child's risk for HL. Your child may have a weak immune system for different reasons. A child's immune system can be weakened by:

• HIV (the virus that causes AIDS)
• medicines to suppress their immune system after they had an organ transplant
• genetic conditions that cause immunodeficiency (a weakened immune system)

A genetic condition is a disease caused by a change (mutation) in one or more genes. Having certain genetic conditions increases a child's risk of developing HL.

Ataxia-telangiectasia is an inherited disease that affects the nervous system, immune system and other body systems. Signs and symptoms include loss of balance, poor coordination, frequent infections, red eyes (due to widening of blood vessels) and abnormal eye movements. Ataxia-telangiectasia is associated with an increased risk of developing some cancers, including HL, leukemia and lymphoma.

Nijmegen breakage syndrome is an inherited condition that causes a weak immune system, slow growth in early childhood, a smaller than average head size (called microcephaly) and premature ovarian failure. Nijmegen breakage syndrome increases the risk of developing HL and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is an inherited condition that affects the blood cells and the cells of the immune system. It usually only affects boys. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome increases the risk of developing HL, NHL and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The following have been linked with an increased risk of childhood HL, but more research is needed to know for sure that they are risks:

• less exposure to infections in early childhood
• socio-economic status
• high weight at birth