People who suffer from chronic hepatitis B, a sexually transmitted disease, are twice as likely to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
After following 600,000 people over a period of 14 years, American and South Korean researchers found that hepatitis B doubled the chances of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer related to the lymphatic system.
In the past, this type of hepatitis has already been linked to an increased risk of death mortality due to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
It is now associated with lymphoma. According to The Lancet Oncology, researchers wrote: "In this large cohort study of health workers and their families in South Korea, we documented an excess risk of NHL in people infected with HBV … Additional research is needed to clarify whether the association between HBV infection and NHL is causal."
Hepatitis B affects 350 million people worldwide.