Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer; they are grouped into Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) & Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) types. Disease mortality as a relative proportion to its incidence appears to be higher in the Central region of Washington State as compared to other regions. It is important to understand the scientific basis responsible for these differences to achieve equity of cure rates. The proposal is an exploratory study probing the contribution of a patient’s location and race, to patient outcomes in lymphomas. The two main questions the study will address include:

1. Are there significant differences in the types and proportions of patients’ immune cells within the cancer samples from different regions in Washington State?
2. Does the variability in immune cells contribute to disparities in patient outcomes in Washington State?

The proposal will address these questions in the context of race/ethnicity and consider other socioeconomic and environmental factors that might contribute to these differences.