title: Progress in Hodgkin lymphoma: a population-based study on patients diagnosed in Sweden from 1973-2009.
abstract: In recent decades, attention has focused on reducing long-term, treatment-related morbidity and mortality in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In the present study, we looked for trends in relative survival for all patients diagnosed with HL in Sweden from 1973-2009 (N = 6949; 3985 men and 2964 women; median age, 45 years) and followed up for death until the end of 2010. Patients were categorized into 6 age groups and 5 calendar periods (1973-1979, 1980-1986, 1987-1994, 1994-2000, and 2001-2009). Relative survival improved in all age groups, with the greatest improvement in patients 51-65 years of age (P < .0005). A plateau in relative survival was observed in patients below 65 years of age during the last calendar period, suggesting a reduced long-term, treatment-related mortality. The 10-year relative survival for patients diagnosed in 2000-2009 was 0.95, 0.96, 0.93, 0.80, and 0.44 for the age groups 0-18, 19-35, 36-50, 51-65, and 66-80, respectively. Therefore, despite progress, age at diagnosis remains an important prognostic factor (P < .0005). Advances in therapy for patients with limited and advanced-stage HL have contributed to an increasing cure rate. In addition, our findings support that long-term mortality of HL therapy has decreased. Elderly HL patients still do poorly, and targeted treatment options associated with fewer side effects will advance the clinical HL field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
authors.forename: Cat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halthur
authors.forename: Sigurdur Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kristinsson
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Landgren
authors.forename: Ulla Axdorph
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Nygell
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Dickman
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björkholm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000639:trends; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult