[Hypothesis of occupational etiology of Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case-control study]

After a review of the research performed about the occupational hypothesis of malignant lymphoma's etiology, a personal interview schedule was used to study the occupational exposure among 89 patients with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 89 referents. The agricultural workers only presented a significant relative risk for the malignant lymphoma as a whole and for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but not for Hodgkin's disease; the results are confirmed by a matched pairs epidemiologic study. The possible etiologic factors connected with agricultural works are discussed.