Non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality statistics

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the 11th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, accounting for 3% of all cancer deaths (2016).[1-3]

In males in the UK, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the 13th most common cause of cancer death (3% of all male cancer deaths). In females in the UK it is the 10th most common cause of cancer death (3% of all female cancer deaths).

56% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths in the UK are in males, and 44% are in females.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality rates (European age-standardised (AS) rates ) are similar to the UK average in all the UK constituent countries.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (C82-C86), Number of Deaths, Crude and European Age-Standardised (AS) Mortality Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2016

95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits  around the AS Rate

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality is strongly related to age, with the highest mortality rates being in older people. In the UK in 2014-2016, on average each year almost 6 in 10 (57%) deaths were in people aged 75 and over.[1-3] This largely reflects higher incidence and lower survival for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in older people.

Age-specific mortality rates rise steadily from around age 45-49 and more steeply from around age 55-59. The highest rates are in the 90+ age group for males and the 85 to 89 age group for females.

Mortality rates are significantly higher in males than females in a number of (mainly older) age groups. The gap is widest at age 05 to 09, when the age-specific mortality rate is 5.7 times higher in males than females.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (C82-C86), Average Number of Deaths per Year and Age-Specific Mortality Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2014-2016

95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits  around the AS Rate

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma European age-standardised (AS) mortality rates for males and females combined increased by 82% in the UK between 1971-1973 and 2014-2016.[1-3] The increase was of a similar size in males and females.

For males, non-Hodgkin lymphoma AS mortality rates in the UK increased by 86% between 1971-1973 and 2014-2016. For females, non-Hodgkin lymphoma AS mortality rates in the UK increased by 75% between 1971-1973 and 2014-2016.

Over the last decade in the UK (between 2004-2006 and 2014-2016), non-Hodgkin lymphoma AS mortality rates for males and females combined decreased by 6%. In males AS mortality rates remained stable, and in females rates decreased by 9%.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (C82-C86), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 1971-2016

For most cancer types, mortality trends largely reflect incidence and survival trends. For example, rising mortality may reflect rising incidence and stable survival, while falling mortality may reflect rising incidence and rising survival.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality rates have varied between age groups in males and females combined in the UK since the early 1970s.[1-3] Rates in 0-24s have decreased by 75%, in 25-49s have decreased by 45%, in 50-59s have decreased by 25%, in 60-69s have increased by 25%, in 70-79s have increased by 128%, and in 80+s have increased by 317%.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (C82-C86), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates per 100,000 Population, By Age, UK, 1971-2016

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) mortality rates are projected to fall by 20% in the UK between 2014 and 2035, to 8 deaths per 100,000 people by 2035.[1] This includes a larger decrease for males than for females.

For males, non-Hodgkin lymphoma European age-standardised (AS) mortality rates in the UK are projected to fall by 22% between 2014 and 2035, to 9 deaths per 100,000 by 2035.[1] For females, rates are projected to fall by 20% between 2014 and 2035, to 6 deaths per 100,000 by 2035.[1]

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (C82-C85), Observed and Projected Age-Standardised Mortality Rates, by Sex, UK, 1979-2035

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It is projected that 6,129 deaths from non-Hodgkin lymphoma (3,435 in males, 2,694 in females) will occur in the UK in 2035.

There is evidence for an association between non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality and deprivation for females in England, but there is no evidence for an association for males.[1] England-wide data for 2007-2011 show European age-standardised mortality rates are 24% higher for females living in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived, but for males the rates are similar for those living in the least and most deprived areas.[1]

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (C82-C85), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates by Deprivation Quintile, England, 2007-2011

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The estimated deprivation gradient in non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality for males and females living in the most and least deprived areas in England has not changed in the period 2002-2011.[1] It has been estimated that there would have been around 130 fewer cancer deaths each year in England during 2007-2011 if all people experienced the same mortality rates as the least deprived.[1]

NHL (C82-85 & C96) is the 14th most common cause of cancer death in Europe, with around 37,900 deaths from NHL in 2012 (2% of the total). In Europe (2012), the highest World age-standardised mortality rates for NHL are in Malta for men and Croatia for women; the lowest rates are in Albania for both men and women. UK NHL mortality rates are estimated to be the 6th highest in males in Europe, and 8th highest in females.[1] These data are broadly in line with Europe-specific data available elsewhere.[2]

NHL (C82-C85 & C96) is the 11th most common cause of cancer death worldwide, with more than 199,000 deaths from NHL in 2012 (2% of the total). NHL mortality rates are highest in Melanesia and lowest in South Central Asia, but this partly reflects varying data quality worldwide.[1]