Moreover, serving as a proto-oncogene, REL also functions in B-lymphocyte survival and proliferation32 and has been identified as a candidate gene for HL risk.33 Second, we identified rs2757647 (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.42; P = 3.5 × 10−8) at 6q23.3, which is in moderate LD (r2 = 0.59, D′ = 0.83) with previously reported rs6928977,18 mapping to the AHI1 (OMIM 608894) gene. Here, REL is linked to Hodgkins lymphoma.