Age-related survival in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) occurs in patients in all age groups and its incidence in Finland has constantly increased since the 1950s. In this study the change in the incidence rate and the effect of age on the survival of NHL patients was investigated. The aim of the study was to determine the relative survival by age during follow-up through a cancer registry.


METHODS
The data base of the Finnish Cancer Registry was used to collect information of all NHL cases registered in Finland in 1960-1992. A total of 2,824 newly diagnosed cases of NHL were included. Of them 1,414 (50%) were diagnosed in men and 1,410 (50%) in women.


RESULTS
The age-specific incidence rates in both sexes indicated a significant increase (p < 0.0001) in incidence for patients from 1960 to 1992. The 1- and 5-year relative survival rates were best for patients diagnosed at the age of 40-44 years. During 10 years' survival two peaks were observed, in the age group of 20-24 and 40-44 years. The relative survival rate was found to deteriorate with an increase in the age of the patients. Patients with local NHL lymphoma had a similar survival regardless of their age at diagnosis. Relative survival of patients aged over 65 years with extensive lymphoma was 36% of the survival observed for younger patients.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a trend for an increase in the incidence of NHL. Because NHL is more common in patients over 60 years of age than in the younger age groups, an increasing incidence indicates that more elderly patients will need treatment in the years to come.
Salminen
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Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Turku University Hospital, Finland.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D015996:Survival Rate