Epidemiology

• peak incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs between 50 and 70 years (67% of of cases occur in patients aged over 60 years). However all ages can be affected (1)
• in the UK;
  • NHL is the seventh most frequently diagnosed cancer (2)
  • there is a very small male predominance compared to females
  • there are around 13,600 new non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases every year, that's 37 every day, accounting for 4% of all new cancer cases (2017-2019) (1)
  • there are 5,000 non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths every year (2021-2023)
  • since the early 1990s, non-Hodgkin lymphoma incidence rates have increased by almost a third (30%) in the UK (1)
• in Western Europe and the USA non-Hodgkin's lymphomas account for 55-60% of all malignant lymphomas
• presenting features include lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, weight loss, fatigue and night sweats
• 40% of patients present with tumour outside lymph glands

Reference:

1. Cancer Research UK. Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma statistics 2025 (online)
2. NICE. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG52. Published July 2016