Survival
Find out about survival for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Survival depends on many different factors. So no one can tell you exactly how long you will live. It depends on your:
- type and stage of cancer
- level of fitness
- previous treatment
These are general statistics based on large groups of patients. Remember, they can’t tell you what will happen in your individual case.
Survival for all non-Hodgkin lymphomas
Generally, for people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in England:
- around 80 out of every 100 people (around 80%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed
- around 65 out of every 100 people (around 65%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis
- 55 out of every 100 people (55%) survive their cancer for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed
Cancer survival by stage at diagnosis for England, 2019
Office for National Statistics
These statistics are for net survival. Net survival estimates the number of people who survive their cancer rather than calculating the number of people diagnosed with cancer who are still alive. In other words, it is the survival of cancer patients after taking into account the background mortality that they would have experienced if they had not had cancer.
Survival for low grade NHL
Low grade lymphomas can be difficult to get rid of completely. But they can be kept under control for several years.
There are no UK-wide survival statistics available for the different types and stages of NHL.
Survival statistics are available for each stage of follicular and marginal zone lymphoma in one area of England. These are for people diagnosed between 2004 and 2011.
Follicular lymphoma is the most common type of low grade lymphoma.
Stage 1
Around 90 out of every 100 people (around 90%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 2
Almost 90 out of 100 people (almost 90%) survive for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
Stage 3 and stage 4
Almost 80 out of 100 people (almost 80%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Marginal zone lymphomas are slow growing B cell lymphomas.
Stage 1
Around 80 out of 100 people (around 80%) will survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 2
75 out of 100 people (75%) will survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 3
More than 50 out of 100 people (more than 50%) will survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 4
Around 65 out of 100 people (around 65%) will survive for 5 years of more after their diagnosis.
These figures show that more people with stage 4 marginal zone lymphoma survive for 5 years or more compared to people with stage 3 disease. This could be because a number of other factors (not just stage) play a part in a person’s outcome. For example, the treatments people have and certain features of their lymphoma also influence survival.
There are different types of marginal zone lymphomas. These are:
- extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, also known as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma
- nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
- splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas have a slightly better outcome than the other types. Almost 90 out of 100 people with this type of marginal zone lymphoma (90%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Haematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN)
Accessed February 2018
The HMRN statistics are for relative survival. Relative survival takes into account that some people will die of causes other than cancer. This gives a more accurate picture of cancer survival.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
K Shankland and others
Lancet. 2012 September Volume 380, Issue 9844, Pages 848-57
Survival for high grade lymphomas
High grade (aggressive) lymphomas generally need more intensive treatment than the low grade types. But they often respond well to treatment. Many people are cured.
There are no UK-wide survival statistics available for the different types and stages of NHL. Survival statistics are available for each stage of diffuse B cell lymphoma in one area of England. These are for people diagnosed between 2004 and 2011.
Diffuse large B cell lymphoma is the most common type of high grade lymphoma.
Stage 1
Around 65 out of 100 people (around 65%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 2
Around 70 out of 100 people (around 70%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 3
Over 50 out of 100 people (over 50%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Stage 4
Almost 50 out of 100 people (almost 50%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
These figures show that more people with stage 2 diffuse large B cell lymphoma survive for 5 years or more compared to people with stage 1 disease. This could be because a number of other factors (not just stage) play a part in a person’s outcome. For example, the treatments people have and certain features of their lymphoma also influence survival.
Burkitt lymphoma is a less common type of high grade lymphoma which can grow quite quickly.
We don't have statistics for the different stages of Burkitt lymphoma. But overall, almost 60 out of 100 people with Burkitt lymphoma (almost 60%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Haematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN)
Accessed February 2018
These statistics are for relative survival. Relative survival takes into account that some people will die of causes other than cancer. This gives a more accurate picture of cancer survival.
What affects survival
Your outcome depends on the stage of the lymphoma when it was diagnosed. The stage tells you about the number and places in the body that are affected by lymphoma.
The type and grade also affects your likely survival. Grade is very important. It means how abnormal the cells look under the microscope. Low grade lymphomas tend to grow slower than high grade lymphomas.
A number of other factors also affect your outlook.
Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI)
For follicular lymphoma, doctors use a scale called the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI). It has 5 prognostic factors that doctors use to plan treatment and predict how people may respond to treatment. These 5 factors are:
- being older than 60 years
- having stage 3 or 4 follicular lymphoma
- having a low red blood cell (haemoglobin) level
- having more than 4 areas of lymph nodes affected with lymphoma
- a higher than normal blood level of an enzyme called LDH (serum lactate dehydrogenase)
If you have no poor prognostic factors you have a score of 0. People with all of the poor prognostic factors have a score of 5. The doctor uses this score to divide people with follicular lymphoma into 3 groups:
- low risk if you have no or 1 poor prognostic factor
- intermediate (moderate) risk if you have 2 poor prognostic factors
- high risk, if you have 3 or more poor prognostic factors
Prognostic index for diffuse large B cell lymphoma
For diffuse large B cell lymphoma, doctors group these factors together to make a prognostic index. A prognostic index is a way of trying to decide who has a greater risk of their lymphoma coming back after treatment.
This scale is only for people with diffuse large B cell lymphomas – not for people with low grade lymphomas.
To work out the prognostic index, you score one point for each of the following:
- aged over 60
- stage 3 or 4 lymphoma at diagnosis
- a higher than normal blood level of an enzyme called LDH (lactate dehydrogenase)
- performance status of more than 2 (see below)
- non-Hodgkin lymphoma in more than one site outside your lymphatic system (in your bones, for example)
Performance status is a scoring system that describes how well you are and how much you can look after yourself.
0 means you are fully active and well. Your performance status will be more than 2 if you need to stay in bed or a chair for more than half the day and need a lot of help to look after yourself.
If you have no poor prognostic factors you have a score of 0. People with all of the poor prognostic factors have a score of 5.
- A score of 0 or 1 means you are more likely to respond well to treatment, and your lymphoma is unlikely to come back.
- A score of 2 means you are at moderately low risk of your lymphoma coming back.
- A score of 3 means you have a moderately high risk of the lymphoma coming back.
- A score of 4 or 5 means you are at a higher than average risk of not responding to treatment, or of having your lymphoma come back after treatment.
Both indexes was created before doctors used rituximab to treat lymphoma. Rituximab has improved treatment for many people with NHL. Doctors generally still think these indexes are useful tools to help plan treatment and predict outcome.
About these statistics
The terms 1 year survival and 5 year survival don't mean that you will only live for 1 or 5 years. They relate to the number of people who are still alive 1 year or 5 years after their diagnosis of cancer.
Some people live much longer than 5 years.
More statistics
Clinical trials
Taking part in clinical trials can help to improve the outlook for people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
