Hodgkin lymphoma risk

The estimated lifetime risk of being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma is 1 in 530 (less than 1%) for females, and 1 in 360 (less than 1%) for males born in 1961 in the UK. [1]

These figures have been calculated on the assumption that the possibility of having more than one diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma over the course of a lifetime is very low ('Current Probability' method).[2]

See also

Lifetime risk for all cancers combined and cancers compared

Hodgkin lymphoma incidence statistics

How risk is calculated

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References

1. Lifetime risk estimates calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK 2023.
2. Estève J, Benhamou E, Raymond L. Statistical methods in cancer research. Volume IV. Descriptive epidemiology. IARC Sci Publ. 1994;(128):1-302.

About this data

Data is for UK, past and projected cancer incidence and mortality and all-cause mortality rates for those born in 1961, ICD-10 C15.

Calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, 2023 (as yet unpublished). Lifetime risk of being diagnosed with cancer for people in the UK born in 1961. Based on method from Esteve et al. 1994 [2], using projected cancer incidence (using data up to 2018) calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK and projected all-cause mortality (using data up to 2020, with adjustment for COVID impact) calculated by Office for National Statistics. Differences from previous analyses are attributable mainly toslowing pace of improvement in life expectancy and also to slowing/stabilising increases in cancer incidence.

Last reviewed: 14 December 2023

40% of Hodgkin lymphoma cases in the UK are preventable.[1]

See also

Want to generate bespoke preventable cancers stats statements? Download our interactive statement generator

Learn how attributable risk is calculated

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk statistics

References

1. Brown KF, Rumgay H, Dunlop C, et al. The fraction of cancer attributable to known risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the UK overall in 2015. British Journal of Cancer 2018. 

Last reviewed: 14 June 2018

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies the role of this risk factor in cancer development.[1] 40% of Hodgkin lymphoma cases in the UK are caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection.[2]

Infectious mononucleosis (IM, commonly known as glandular fever) is a common manifestation of EBV infection.[3] Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 2.6-6 times higher in people with a history of IM, cohort studies have shown.[3-5] The association appears to be limited to EBV-positive Hodgkin lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma is diagnosed on average 3-4 years after IM, Nordic studies show.[3-6]

See also

Learn how attributable risk is calculated

View our health information on infections and cancer

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk statistics

References

1. Cogliano VJ, Baan R, Straif K, et al. Preventable exposures associated with human cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2011; 103:1827-39.
2. Brown KF, Rumgay H, Dunlop C, et al. The fraction of cancer attributable to known risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the UK overall in 2015. British Journal of Cancer 2018.
3. Hjalgrim H, Askling J, Rostgaard K, et al. Characteristics of Hodgkin's lymphoma after infectious mononucleosis. N Engl J Med 2003;349(14):1324-32.
4. Goldacre MJ, Wotton CJ, Yeates DG. Associations between infectious mononucleosis and cancer: record-linkage studies. Epidemiol Infect 2009;137(5):672-80.
5. Hjalgrim H, Askling J, Sørensen P, et al. Risk of Hodgkin's disease and other cancers after infectious mononucleosis. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000; 92(18):1522-8
6. Hjalgrim H, Smedby KE, Rostgaard K, et al. Infectious mononucleosis, childhood social environment, and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma. Cancer Res 2007;67(5):2382-8.

Last reviewed: 1 October 2018

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies the role of this risk factor in cancer development.[1]

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 11 times higher in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compared with the general population, meta-analyses have shown.[2,3]

Among people with HIV, Hodgkin lymphoma risk is nearly 3 times higher in those with AIDS versus those without.[2] Hodgkin lymphoma in HIV may be part of an immune reconstitution syndrome, whereby risk is higher in those who have enough functioning immune cells to ‘recruit’ to Hodgkin lymphoma development, but not enough to halt that development.[4]

The association with HIV may partly reflect increased Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) incidence in the HIV-infected population, though HIV/AIDS-related decreased immune function is thought to also impact Hodgkin lymphoma risk independently.[2]

See also

Learn how attributable risk is calculated

View our health information on infections and cancer

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk statistics

References

1. Cogliano VJ, Baan R, Straif K, et al. Preventable exposures associated with human cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2011; 103:1827-39.
2. Shiels MS, Cole SR, Kirk GD, et al. A meta-analysis of the incidence of non-AIDS cancers in HIV-infected individuals. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2009;52(5):611-22.
3. Grulich AE, van Leeuwen MT, Falster MO, et al. Incidence of cancers in people with HIV/AIDS compared with immunosuppressed transplant recipients: a meta-analysis. Lancet 2007; 370(9581):59-67.
4. Carbone A, Vaccher E, Gloghini A, et al. Diagnosis and management of lymphomas and other cancers in HIV-infected patients. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2014;11(4):223-38.

Last reviewed: 1 October 2018

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is around 3 times higher in first-degree relatives of Hodgkin lymphoma patients, a pooled analysis showed.[1] Risk is higher when the affected relative is younger, and is higher in siblings of affected relatives (rather than parents), particularly males.[1]

See also

Learn how attributable risk is calculated

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk statistics

See more information on how inherited genes can be a cause of cancer

References

1. Goldin LR, Pfeiffer RM, Gridley G, et al. Familial aggregation of Hodgkin lymphoma and related tumors. Cancer 2004; 100(9):1902-8.

Last reviewed: 1 October 2018

Rheumatoid arthritis

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 3.2 times higher in people with rheumatoid arthritis compared with the general population, a meta-analysis showed.[1]

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 3 times higher in people with systemic lupus erythematosus compared with the general population, meta-analyses have shown.[2,3]

Sjögren’s syndrome

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 4-5 times higher in people with Sjögren’s syndrome compared with the general population, cohort studies have shown.[4,5]

Sarcoidosis

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 4-10 times higher in people with sarcoidosis compared with the general population, cohort studies have shown.[4,5]

See also

Find out more about the definitions and evidence for this data

Learn how attributable risk is calculated 

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk statistics

References

1. Simon TA, Thompson A, Gandhi KK, et al. Incidence of malignancy in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2015 Aug 15;17:212.
2. Cao L, Tong H, Xu G, et al. Systemic lupus erythematous and malignancy risk: a meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 17;10(4):e0122964.
3. Apor E, O'Brien J, Stephen M, Castillo JJ. Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with increased incidence of hematologic malignancies: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Leuk Res 2014;38(9):1067-71.
4. Fallah M, Liu X, Ji J, Försti A, Sundquist K, Hemminki K. Hodgkin lymphoma after autoimmune diseases by age at diagnosis and histological subtype. Ann Oncol. 2014;25(7):1397-404.
5. Kristinsson SY, Landgren O, Sjöberg J, et al. Autoimmunity and risk for Hodgkin's lymphoma by subtype. Haematologica 2009;94(10):1468-9.

Last reviewed: 1 October 2018

Hodgkin lymphoma risk is 10-15% higher in ever-smokers, compared with never-smokers, meta- and pooled-analyses have shown.[1-3] The association may be limited to current smokers,[2,3] with a dose-response effect.[1,3] It may be limited to, or stronger in, men and older patients.[2,3] Among current smokers the association may be limited to mixed cellularity and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive classical subtypes.[2]

See also

Learn how attributable risk is calculated

View our statistics on tobacco and cancer

View our health information on smoking and cancer

References

1. Sergentanis TN, Kanavidis P, Michelakos T, et al. Cigarette smoking and risk of lymphoma in adults: a comprehensive meta-analysis on Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin disease. Eur J Cancer Prev 2013;22(2):131-50.
2. Kamper-Jørgensen M, Rostgaard K, Glaser SL, et al. Cigarette smoking and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma and its subtypes: a pooled analysis from the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph). Ann Oncol 2013;24(9):2245-55.
3. Castillo JJ, Dalia S, Shum H. Meta-analysis of the association between cigarette smoking and incidence of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(29):3900-6.

Last reviewed: 2 March 2017