ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing this type of cancer. To see other pages, use the menu on the side of your screen.
A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do.
Although the exact cause of NHL is unknown, some children seem to have a slightly higher risk of developing the disease are those who:
- Have had illnesses related to the Epstein-Barr virus, which is the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis
- Have acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
- Have received an organ transplantation
- Were born with deficiencies in their immune systems
- Have been treated with certain drugs for other types of cancer
- Take phenytoin (Dilantin), a drug used to control seizures, but this is rare
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