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U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute

SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Lymphoma


 

It is estimated that 79,190 men and women (43,120 men and 36,070 women) will be diagnosed with and 20,130 men and women will die of lymphoma in 20121.

The following information is based on NCI’s SEER Cancer Statistics Review2.Use the links on this page to learn more about each statistic type:

Incidence & Mortality

SEER Incidence

From 2005-2009, the median age at diagnosis for lymphoma was 64 years of age3. Approximately 3.1% were diagnosed under age 20; 7.3% between 20 and 34; 7.7% between 35 and 44; 13.4% between 45 and 54; 18.9% between 55 and 64; 20.8% between 65 and 74; 20.7% between 75 and 84; and 8.2% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted incidence rate was 22.5 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on cases diagnosed in 2005-2009 from 18 SEER geographic areas.

Incidence Rates by Race
Race/EthnicityMaleFemale
All Races27.0 per 100,000 men18.8 per 100,000 women
White28.2 per 100,000 men19.8 per 100,000 women
Black20.6 per 100,000 men14.2 per 100,000 women
Asian/Pacific Islander 17.8 per 100,000 men12.0 per 100,000 women
American Indian/Alaska Native a15.4 per 100,000 men11.6 per 100,000 women
Hispanic b22.2 per 100,000 men17.6 per 100,000 women

US Mortality

From 2005-2009, the median age at death for lymphoma was 75 years of age4. Approximately 0.5% died under age 20; 2.1% between 20 and 34; 2.9% between 35 and 44; 6.9% between 45 and 54; 14.2% between 55 and 64; 21.6% between 65 and 74; 32.8% between 75 and 84; and 18.9% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted death rate was 7.0 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on patients who died in 2005-2009 in the US.

Death Rates by Race
Race/EthnicityMaleFemale
All Races 8.9 per 100,000 men5.5 per 100,000 women
White9.2 per 100,000 men5.8 per 100,000 women
Black6.6 per 100,000 men3.9 per 100,000 women
Asian/Pacific Islander 5.4 per 100,000 men3.6 per 100,000 women
American Indian/Alaska Native a5.4 per 100,000 men4.5 per 100,000 women
Hispanic b6.8 per 100,000 men4.7 per 100,000 women

Trends in rates can be described in many ways. Information for trends over a fixed period of time, for example 1996-2009, can be evaluated by the annual percentage change (APC) . If there is a negative sign before the number, the trend is a decrease; otherwise it is an increase. If there is an asterisk after the APC then the trend was significant, that is, one believes that it is beyond chance, i.e. 95% sure, that the increase or decrease is real over the period 1996-2009. If the trend is not significant, the trend is usually reported as stable or level. Joinpoint analyses can be used over a long period of time to evaluate when changes in the trend have occurred along with the APC which shows how much the trend has changed between each of the joinpoints.

The joinpoint trend in SEER cancer incidence with associated APC(%) for lymphoma between 1975-2009, All Races
Male and FemaleMaleFemale
TrendPeriodTrendPeriodTrendPeriod
3.0*1975-19913.4*1975-19912.5*1975-1990
0.4*1991-20090.2*1991-20091.1*1990-2004
    -0.62004-2009

The joinpoint trend in US cancer mortality with associated APC(%) for lymphoma between 1975-2009, All Races
Male and FemaleMaleFemale
TrendPeriodTrendPeriodTrendPeriod
0.11975-19790.61975-19811.6*1975-1997
2.0*1979-19912.4*1981-1990-3.4*1997-2009
1.2*1991-19971.1*1990-1997  
-3.0*1997-2009-2.7*1997-2009  

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Survival & Stage

Survival can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival statistics presented here are based on relative survival, which measures the survival of the cancer patients in comparison to the general population to estimate the effect of cancer. The overall 5-year relative survival for 2002-2008 from 18 SEER geographic areas was 70.6%. Five-year relative survival by race and sex was: 69.9% for white men; 72.4% for white women; 60.9% for black men; 69.7% for black women.

Stage Distribution and 5-year Relative Survival by Stage at Diagnosis for
2002-2008, All Races, Both Sexes
Stage at Diagnosis Stage
Distribution (%)
5-year
Relative Survival (%)
Localized (confined to primary site) 27 82.0
Regional (spread to regional lymphnodes) 19 77.8
Distant (cancer has metastasized) 47 61.7
Unknown (unstaged) 8 66.5

The stage distribution is based on Summary Stage 2000.

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References

All statistics in this report are based on SEER incidence and NCHS mortality statistics. Most can be found within:

Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, Neyman N, Aminou R, Altekruse SF, Kosary CL, Ruhl J, Tatalovich Z, Cho H, Mariotto A, Eisner MP, Lewis DR, Chen HS, Feuer EJ, Cronin KA (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2009 (Vintage 2009 Populations), National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2009_pops09/, based on November 2011 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, 2012.

Footnotes

1 Table I-1 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2009_pops09/results_single/sect_01_table.01.pdf)
2 Overview Section (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/ 1975_2009_pops09/results_merged/ sect_01_overview.pdf)
3 Table I-11 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2009_pops09/results_single/sect_01_table.11_2pgs.pdf)
4 Table I-13 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2009_pops09/results_single/sect_01_table.13_2pgs.pdf)
* The APC is significantly different from zero (p<.05).
a Incidence data for Hispanics is based on NHIA and excludes cases from Alaska Native Registry. Hispanic death rates exclude deaths from the District of Columbia, North Dakota and South Carolina.
b Incidence and mortality data for American Indians/Alaska Natives is based on the CHSDA (Contract Health Service Delivery Area) counties.

Definitions

Annual percent change (APC)
The average annual percent change over several years. The APC is used to measure trends or the change in rates over time. For information on how this is calculated, go to Trend Algortihms in the SEER*Stat Help system. The calculation involves fitting a straight line to the natural logarithm of the data when it is displayed by calendar year.

Joinpoint analyses
A statistical model for characterizing cancer trends which uses statistical criteria to determine how many times and when the trends in incidence or mortality rates have changed. The results of joinpoint are given as calendar year ranges, and the annual percent change (APC) in the rates over each period.

Survival
Survival examines how long after diagnosis people live. Cancer survival is measured in a number of different ways depending on the intended purpose.

Relative survival
A measure of net survival that is calculated by comparing observed (overall) survival with expected survival from a comparable set of people that do not have cancer to measure the excess mortality that is associated with a cancer diagnosis.

Stage distribution
Stage provides a measure of disease progression, detailing the degree to which the cancer has advanced. Two methods commonly used to determine stage are AJCC and SEER Summary Stage. The AJCC method (see Collaborative Staging Method) is more commonly used in the clinical settings, while SEER has strived to provide consistent definitions over time with their Local/Regional/Distant staging.

Lifetime risk
The probability of developing cancer in the course of one's lifespan. Lifetime risk may also be discussed in terms of the probability of developing or of dying from cancer. Based on cancer rates from 2007 to 2009, it was estimated that men had about a 45 percent chance of developing cancer in their lifetimes, while women had about a 38 percent chance.

Probability of developing cancer
The chance that a person will develop cancer in his/her lifetime.

Prevalence
The number of people who have received a diagnosis of cancer during a defined time period, and who are alive on the last day of that period. Most prevalence data in SEER is for limited duration because information on cases diagnosed before 1973 is not generally available.

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