Objective To evaluate the association between non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).Methods The positive rate of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in 393 patients of NHL who were admitted. The colorectal cancer patients and healthy persons were also enrolled as control. Results The positive rate of HBsAg in NHL patients (26.5 ％) was significantly higher than that in colorectal cancer patients (14.5 ％) and healthy persons (8.8 ％),respectively (x2=55.713,P＜0.001).The characteristics of HBV-infected patients with NHL were similar to those who were HBV-uninfected in terms of sex,stage and B symptoms,whereas the HBV-infected patients were younger than the HBV-uninfected patients (the median age was 47ys vs 52ys,t =-1.911,P=0.021).In the HBsAg-positive NHL group,B-cell subtype was much more common than T-cell subtype (80.8 ％ vs 15.4 ％,P=0.043).Regarding colorectal cancer patients and healthy persons as control groups,the positive rate of HBsAg was significantly higher in B-cell NHL patients than that in the control groups, respectively ( 29.6 ％ vs15.5 ％ vs 8.8 ％,Wald value were 25.174 and 55.139,respectively,P＜0.001).The positive rate of HBsAg of HBV between T-cell NHL (16.7 ％) and control groups were not significantly different. Conclusions An association is present between HBV infection and NHL,especially in B-cell subtype.