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NHL Risk Lower for Pet Owners

A London Telegraph article recently reported that scientists have found that regular exposure to a cat or dog can reduce the risk of developing non-Hodgkins Lymphoma ( NHL ).  NHL is a  cancer that affects the lymphatic system, the process by which infection-fighting white blood cells are carried thoughout the body.

Researchers who did the study believe that the presence of the dogs or cats helps boost the immune system which in turn offers more protection against the cancer.  In Britain the disease affects about 10,000 people each year, most commonly in those who have a weak immune system.

More than 4,000 patients were analyzed by scientists at Stanford University and the University of California.  About half those patients had non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The findings, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, shows that those who owned animals were almost 30 per cent less likely to develop the cancer than those without pets.

The longer they had kept pets, the greater their protection against the disease appeared to be, according to the study.

The greatest occurrence of NHL is in adults, with those over 50 more at risk.  Symptoms can include a swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin, a fever, especially at night, and weight loss and tiredness.  From the lymph nodes the cancer cells can spread through the bloodstream to any other part of the body including the brain, bowel, stomach and bones.

 

 

 

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