Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is one of the most common cancers in the United States, accounting for about 4% of all cancers. The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are for 2012:
- About 70,130 people (38,160 males and 31,970 females) will be diagnosed with NHL. This includes both adults and children.
- About 18,940 people will die from this cancer (10,320 males and 8,620 females).
The average American's risk of developing NHL during his or her lifetime is about 1 in 50. Each person's risk may be affected by certain risk factors (listed in the next section).
The number of people getting NHL has been fairly steady for more than a decade.
Although some types of NHL are among the more common childhood cancers, more than 95% of cases occur in adults. The types of NHL seen in children are often very different from those seen in adults. For more information, see our document, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children.
While NHL can occur at any age, about half of patients are older than 65. The risk of developing NHL increases throughout life. The aging of the American population is likely to lead to an increase in NHL cases during the coming years.
Survival rates vary widely based on the type of lymphoma and stage (extent) of disease at the time of diagnosis. However, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for people with NHL is 67%, and the 10-year relative survival rate is 55%. (More detailed information about the prognosis for some types of lymphoma can be found in the section, "What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma?")
The 5-year survival rate refers to the percentage of patients who live at least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed. Although many of these patients live much longer than 5 years after diagnosis, doctors use 5-year rates as a standard way of discussing prognosis. Five-year relative survival rates assume that some people will die of other causes and compare the observed survival with that expected for people without the cancer. This is a better way to see the impact of cancer on survival. Because 5-year survival rates are based on patients first diagnosed and treated more than 5 years ago, the outlook for newly diagnosed patients may be better.
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