Hodgkin lymphoma — DVA SoP factors

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 70 of 2023

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting Hodgkin lymphoma or death from Hodgkin lymphoma with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

1. (1)
   having smoked tobacco products: (a) in an amount of at least 10 pack-years before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma; and (b) commencing at least 5 years before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma; and if smoking has ceased before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma, then that onset occurred within 10 years of cessation;

   Note: one pack-year is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

2. (2)
   being obese for at least 5 years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;

   Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

3. (3)
   having infection with human immunodeficiency virus before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;
4. (4)
   having serological evidence of infection with Epstein-Barr virus before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;
5. (5)
   having an autoimmune disease from the specified list of autoimmune diseases before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;

   Note: specified list of autoimmune diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

6. (6)
   having received a stem cell, bone marrow or solid organ transplantation before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;
7. (7)
   having mature B-cell lymphoid leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma at the time of the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;

   Note: Mature B-cell lymphoid leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma are also known as mature B-cell lymphoid leukaemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma.

8. (8)
   inhaling, ingesting or having cutaneous contact with a chemical agent contaminated by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD): (a) for a cumulative period of at least 1,000 hours, within a consecutive period of 10 years, before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma; and (b) where the first exposure occurred at least 5 years before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;

   Note: inhaling, ingesting or having cutaneous contact with a chemical agent contaminated by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

9. (9)
   being: (a) on land in Vietnam; or (b) at sea in Vietnamese waters; or (c) on board a vessel and consuming potable water supplied on that vessel, when the water supply had been produced by evaporative distillation of estuarine Vietnamese waters, for a cumulative period of at least 30 days, at least 5 years before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;

   Note: being: (a) on land in Vietnam; or (b) at sea in Vietnamese waters; and estuarine Vietnamese waters and potable water are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

10. (10)
    having an active tuberculosis disease before the clinical onset of Hodgkin lymphoma;

    Note: active tuberculosis disease is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

11. (11)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Hodgkin lymphoma before the clinical worsening of Hodgkin lymphoma;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(11) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.