# EPIDEMIOLOGY/BIOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD NON-HODGKINS LYMPHOMA

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 1987 · $158,682

## Abstract

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (7.4 per million children aged under 15) represents
6% of all childhood cancer.  In contrast to the adult forms of NHL,
children most commonly develop T-cell (lymphoblastic) lymphoma or small,
non-cleaved follicular B-cell tumors.  Three recent lines of research have
served to focus attention on lymphomas (1) modern cytogenetic techniques
have linked some types of NHL, notably Burkitt's lymphoma, to a specific
oncogene and to immune-related genes  (2) interest in viral causes of
lymphoma - well-established through the research on Epstein-Barr virus and
African Burkitt's lymphoma - has been stimulated by recent data on the
human T-leukemia virus and by the association of lymphoma with a presumed
transmissable AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) agent  (3)
monoclonal antibodies provide a new and powerful means of classifying
lymphomas according to their expression of surface antigen, which reflects
their lineage and degree of differentiation.

The major aims of the study are to characterize childhood NHL with report
to chromosomal abnormalities and immunologic phenotype, and to relate the
findings of these studies to etiologic factors derived from case/control
interviews and viral studies.  The interviews will focus on immune-related
disorders in the family of the patient, and unusual or chronic antigenic
exposures of the patient.  Viral studies will examine the role of EBV and
HTLV-related viruses and will search for previously unrecognized
retroviruses in the tumor tissues.

Incident cases of NHL, enrolled on therapeutic studies of the Children's
Cancer Study Group, will be eligible.  Biopsy material from these children
will be used for cytogenetic analyses, cell surface marker studies,
histopathology, and viral studies.  Serum will be tested for specific viral
antibodies, and some serum and tumor tissue will be frozen for future use.
The mothers of cases, and a matched control group selected by random digit
dialing, will be interviewed by telephone to provide data on familial
associations, particularly of immune-related conditions such as autoimmune
disease and allergy, and on environmental exposures of the child and
parents.

It is hoped that this study will provide a clearer understanding of the
interrelations of viruses, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic and
acquired immune function disturbances in childhood NHL.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3177352
- **Project number:** 5R01CA038908-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** G88KLJR3KYT5
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan Buckley
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $158,682
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-09-30 → 1989-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3177352

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3177352, EPIDEMIOLOGY/BIOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD NON-HODGKINS LYMPHOMA (5R01CA038908-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3177352. Licensed CC0.

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