We don't know how many people are diagnosed with Castleman disease (CD) each year. The National Cancer Institute has a program that keeps track of how many people have each type of cancer. Because CD is not a cancer, it is not included in these records. We do know that CD disease is very rare in healthy people. In fact, 2 of the leading cancer centers in the United States, MD Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering, each see about 2 patients a year.

CD is much more common in people infected with HIV. Over the past 20 years, as the number of people with HIV infection has increased, the number of people diagnosed with CD has also been increasing. Although modern anti-viral treatments have helped people with HIV live much longer, these drugs do not seem to lower the chance of getting CD.

CD affects children as well as adults. Younger people are more likely to have the localized form. Older adults and those with HIV infection are more likely to have the multicentric form.

Last Medical Review: 08/03/2009
Last Revised: 08/03/2009