title: Increasing incidence of ophthalmic lymphoma in Denmark from 1980 to 2005.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patient characteristics and incidence of ophthalmic lymphoma in Denmark during the period 1980 to 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients in Denmark with a diagnosis of ophthalmic lymphoma during the period 1980 to 2005 were retrieved from three different population-based registries. Specimens from all patients were collected and reclassified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system. Incidence rates were calculated by using Poisson regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 228 patients with a histologically verified diagnosis of ophthalmic lymphoma were included. There was an equal distribution of males and females. The most frequent lymphoma subtype was extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MALT [mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue] lymphoma, 55.5%) and most cases were located in the orbit (56.8%). High-grade lymphoma subtypes were found more frequently in males than in females. Incidence rates were highly dependent on the patient's age. For all ages, a statistically significant annual average increase of 3.4% during the 26-year period was found. This increase was primarily due to a rise in the incidence of MALT lymphoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the Danish population ophthalmic lymphoma consists primarily of orbital MALT lymphoma. Although it is a rare disease in mostly elderly patients, the incidence of ophthalmic lymphoma is increasing at a rapid pace.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Eye Pathology Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lene D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Sjö
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ralfkiaer
authors.forename: Jan U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Prause
authors.forename: Jorgen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: Niels T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heegaard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015994:Incidence; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins