Key Statistics for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children
About 12% of all childhood cancers are non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs).
About 800 children and teens are diagnosed with NHL in the United States each year.
NHL is about 2 to 3 times more common in boys than in girls, and it is more common in White children than Black children.
Overall, the risk of NHL in children increases with age. It can develop in children at any age, but it's uncommon in children younger than 5.
Statistics on survival can be found in Survival Rates for Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
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The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society; 2023.
Gross TG, Kamdar KY, Bollard CM. Chapter 19: Malignant Non–Hodgkin Lymphomas in Children. In: Blaney SM, Adamson PC, Helman LJ, eds. Pizzo and Poplack’s Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncology. 8th ed. Philadelphia Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2021.
National Cancer Institute Physician Data Query (PDQ). Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment. 2016. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/lymphoma/hp/child-nhl-treatment-pdq on May 10, 2021.
Termuhlen AM, Gross TG. Overview of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children and adolescents. UpToDate. 2021. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-non-hodgkin-lymphoma-in-children-and-adolescents on May 10, 2021.
Last Revised: January 12, 2023
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