Association of endometriosis with family history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: presentation of 10 cases.

PURPOSE

Women with endometriosis have been reported to be at increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The purpose of this article was to investigate the familial risk of NHL in women with endometriosis. We report on 10 cases with endometriosis and positive family history of NHL.

METHODS

The medical records of 405 women with endometriosis and 200 without endometriosis were retrospectively analysed. All of the cases were diagnosed by laparoscopy. Ten cases of endometriosis having first-degree relatives with NHL are reported.

RESULTS

We found no case with endometriosis and NHL. In contrast, we found 10/405 (2.5%) women with endometriosis and first-degree relatives with NHL. Their mean age was 38.3 years (range 29-46). The main complaint was infertility. The mean age at onset of endometriosis was 32 years (range 22-43). The stages of endometriosis were: stage II (n=4), stage III (n=2) and stage IV (n=4). All of these patients had first-degree relatives with a history of NHL. Five had mothers with NHL, 5 had fathers and one had a sister.

CONCLUSION

These cases could suggest a link between a family history of NHL and subsequent development of endometriosis in the first-generation women. Moreover, there was no evidence of association between endometriosis and NHL.