Social deprivation and gender affects incidence of Hodgkin's lymphoma

Living in overcrowded conditions appears to protect children and young adults against developing a particular type of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), a cancer that originates from the lymphocytes (white blood cells). This protective effect seems to suggest that infections earlier in life may stimulate the immune system to deal with future infections and cancerous cells more efficiently, say the British researchers who made the discovery.