Reuters
Australian researchers found that people who were either elder siblings or only children had relatively lower risks of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or NHL. A similar protective effect was seen among people with a history of hay fever or food allergies.
The researchers speculate that early immune system development may be behind all of these associations. In brief, early infection -- more likely with multiple kids in a family -- may set the immune system in such a way that allergies don't develop; but on the other hand this setting may increase the chances of developing lymphoma.
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