Hodgkin lymphoma incidence statistics

Cases

New cases of Hodgkin lymphoma each year, 2016-2018 average, UK.

 

Proportion of all cases

Percentage Hodgkin lymphoma is of total cancer cases, 2016-2018, UK

 

Age

Peak rate of Hodgkin lymphoma cases, 2016-2018, UK

Trend over time

Change in hodgkin lymphoma incidence rates since the early 1990s, UK

 

Hodgkin lymphoma is not among the 20 most common cancers in the UK, accounting for less than 1% of all new cancer cases (2016-2018).[1-4]

In females in the UK, Hodgkin lymphoma is not among the 20 most common cancers (less than 1% of all new female cancer cases). In males in the UK, it is the 19th most common cancer (less than 1% of all new male cancer cases).

42% of Hodgkin lymphoma cases in the UK are in females, and 58% are in males.

Hodgkin lymphoma incidence rates (European age-standardised (AS) rate Open a glossary item) for persons are similar to the UK average in all the UK constituent countries.

Hodgkin Lymphoma (C81), Average Number of New Cases Per Year, Crude and European Age-Standardised (AS) Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2016-2018

  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland UK
Female Cases 748 76 43 26 893
Crude Rate 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7
AS Rate 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.7
AS Rate - 95% LCL 2.6 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.6
AS Rate - 95% UCL 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.4 2.8
Male Cases 1,027 105 62 37 1,231
Crude Rate 3.7 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.8
AS Rate 3.9 4.1 4.1 4.2 3.9
AS Rate - 95% LCL 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.8
AS Rate - 95% UCL 4.0 4.5 4.7 5.0 4.0
Persons Cases 1,775 182 105 63 2,124
Crude Rate 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.2
AS Rate 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.5 3.3
AS Rate - 95% LCL 3.2 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.2
AS Rate - 95% UCL 3.3 3.6 3.7 4.0 3.4

95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits around the AS Rate Open a glossary item
 

References

  1. Data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (part of Public Health England), on request through the Office for Data Release, July 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancerregistrationstatisticsengland/previousReleases
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, April 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications.
  3. Data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-incidence-in-wales-2002-2018/, March 2021.
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, May 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.

About this data

Data is for UK, 2016-2018, ICD-10 C81.

Last reviewed:

Hodgkin lymphoma incidence shows a clear bimodal age distribution, with the first peak in incidence rates in young adults, and the second peak in older females and males. In the UK in 2016-2018, on average each year almost 3 in 20 new cases (13%) were in people aged 75 and over.[1-4] This is a lower proportion of cases in older age groups compared with most cancers.

Age-specific incidence rates rise sharply during childhood and peak first in young adults aged 20-24. Rates then decrease until middle age before rising again to reach a second peak at around age 75-79. The highest rates are in in the 20 to 24 age group for females and the 75 to 79 age group for males.

Incidence rates are significantly lower in females than males in a number of (mainly older) age groups. The gap is widest at age 05 to 09, when the age-specific incidence rate is 2.6 times lower in females than males.

Hodgkin lymphoma (C81), Average Number of New Cases per Year and Age-Specific Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2016-2018

For Hodgkin lymphoma, like most cancer types, incidence increases with age. This largely reflects cell DNA damage accumulating over time. Damage can result from biological processes or from exposure to risk factors. A drop or plateau in incidence in the oldest age groups often indicates reduced diagnostic activity perhaps due to general ill health.

References

  1. Data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (part of Public Health England), on request through the Office for Data Release, July 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancerregistrationstatisticsengland/previousReleases
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, April 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications.
  3. Data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-incidence-in-wales-2002-2018/, March 2021.
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, May 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.

About this data

Data is for UK, 2016-2018, ICD-10 C81.

Last reviewed:

Hodgkin lymphoma European age-standardised (AS) Open a glossary item incidence rates for females and males combined increased by 37% in the UK between 1993-1995 and 2016-2018.[1-4] The increase was of a similar size in females and males.

For females, Hodgkin lymphoma AS incidence rates in the UK increased by 38% between 1993-1995 and 2016-2018. For males, Hodgkin lymphoma AS incidence rates in the UK increased by 35% between 1993-1995 and 2016-2018.

Over the last decade in the UK (between 2006-2008 and 2016-2018), Hodgkin lymphoma AS incidence rates for females and males combined increased by 16%. In females AS incidence rates increased by 13%, and in males rates increased by 19%.

Hodgkin Lymphoma (C81), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, UK, 1993 to 2018

Hodgkin lymphoma incidence rates have increased overall in most broad age groups in females and males combined in the UK since the early 1990s, but have remained stable in some.[1-4] Rates in 0-24s have increased by 28%, in 25-49s have increased by 22%, in 50-59s have remained stable, in 60-69s have increased by 39%, in 70-79s have increased by 112% and in 80+s have increased by 115%.

Hodgkin Lymphoma (C81), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Persons Population, By Age, UK, 1993-2018

For Hodgkin lymphoma, like most cancer types, incidence trends largely reflect changing prevalence of risk factors and improvements in diagnosis and data recording. Recent incidence trends are influenced by risk factor prevalence in years past, and trends by age group reflect risk factor exposure in birth cohorts.

References

  1. Data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (part of Public Health England), on request through the Office for Data Release, July 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancerregistrationstatisticsengland/previousReleases
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, April 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications.
  3. Data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-incidence-in-wales-2002-2018/, March 2021.
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, May 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.

About this data

Data is for UK, 1993-2018, ICD-10 C81.

Last reviewed:

The number of new hodgkin lymphoma cases on average each year in the UK is projected to rise from around 2,400 cases in 2023-2025 to around 2,900 cases in 2038-2040.[1]

Hodgkin lymphoma incidence rates are projected to rise by 13% in the UK between 2023-2025 and 2038-2040, to 4 cases per 100,000 people on average each year by 2038-2040.[1] This includes a similar increase for males and females.

For females, hodgkin lymphoma European age-standardised (AS) Open a glossary item incidence rates in the UK are projected to rise by 11% between 2023-2025 and 2038-2040, to 3 cases per 100,000 per year by 2038-2040.[1] For males, AS rates are projected to rise by 14% between 2023-2025 and 2038-2040, to 5 cases per 100,000 per year by 2038-2040.[1]

Hodgkin lymphoma (C81), Observed and Projected Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, by Sex, UK, 1993-2040

Download the data table (xlsx)

 

References

Calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, February 2023. Age-period-cohort modelling approach described here, using 2020-based population projections (Office for National Statistics) and observed cancer incidence (1975-2018 for England, Scotland and Wales, 1993-2018 for Northern Ireland).

About this data

Projections are based on incidence data from 1975-2018 (England, Scotland and Wales) and 1993-2018 (Northern Ireland); the above figure presents all UK data from 1993-2018 (observed) and 2019-2040 (projected). Number of new cases and age-standardised rates are presented as annual averages for each 3-year rolling period. ICD-10 codes C81.

Projections are based on observed incidence rates and therefore implicitly include changes in cancer risk factors and diagnosis. Confidence intervals are not calculated for the projected figures. Projections are by their nature uncertain because unexpected events in future could change the trend. It is not sensible to calculate a boundary of uncertainty around these already uncertain point estimates. Changes are described as 'increase' or 'decrease' if there is any difference between the point estimates.

More on projections methodology

Last reviewed:

Hodgkin lymphoma incidence rates (European age-standardised (AS) rates Open a glossary item) in England in females are similar in the most deprived quintile compared with the least, and in males are 19% higher in the most deprived quintile compared with the least (2013-2017).[1]

It is estimated that there are around 85 more cases of Hodgkin lymphoma each year in males in England than there would be if every deprivation quintile had the same age-specific crude incidence rates as the least deprived quintile.

Hodgkin Lymphoma (C81), Estimated Average Number of Excess Cases per Year and European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, by Deprivation Quintile, England, 2013-2017

No data are shown for females as the difference in age-standardised incidence rates between most and least deprived quintiles is not significant for females.

References

  1. Calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, April 2020. Based on method reported in National Cancer Intelligence Network Cancer by Deprivation in England Incidence, 1996-2010 Mortality, 1997-2011 . Using cancer incidence data 2013-2017 (Public Health England) and population data 2013-2017 (Office for National Statistics) by Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 income domain quintile, cancer type, sex, and five-year age band.

About this data

Data is for England, 2013-2017, ICD-10 C21.

Last reviewed:

An estimated 21,600 people who had been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma between 1991 and 2010 were alive in the UK at the end of 2010.[1]

References

  1. Macmillan Cancer Support and National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service. Cancer Prevalence UK Data Tables. London: NCRAS; 2015.

About this data

Data is for: Great Britain (1991-2010) and Northern Ireland (1993-2010), ICD-10 C81

Last reviewed:

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