B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in chronic hepatitis C virus patients: An interesting relationship

An association exists between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), but a causal relationship is not fully established. HCV is a lymphotropic virus that represents a major etiologic agent of mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) type II which is characterized by a low-grade B cell clonal lymphoproliferative disorder that usually progresses to a more aggressive malignant lymphoma. This study assessed the role of cryoglobulin and B lymphocyte stimulator (BLys) in the pathogenesis of NHL in chronic HCV patients.

Sixty HCV patients, 30 free of B cell NHL (group I) and 30 with B cell NHL (group II), and 30 healthy controls (group III) were studied. Qualitative cryoglobulin assessment and a quantitative assay for BLys were done.

In group II, BLyS positivity rate was 1.5-fold higher than of group I (p ≤ 0.01). A positive association was found between positivity rate of MC and the level of BLyS (p ≤ 0.01).

High BLyS levels were associated with HCV-associated lymphoproliferative disorder coupled with positive MC.