Diverging trends in incidence and mortality, and improved survival of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, in the Netherlands, 1989–2007

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BlankDiverging trends in incidence and mortality, and improved survival of

non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, in the Netherlands, 1989–2007

Abstract

Background: We studied progress in the fight against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

(NHL) in the Netherlands by describing the changes in incidence, treatment,

relative survival, and mortality during 1989–2007.

Patients and methods: We included all adult patients with NHL [i.e. all mature

B-, T-, and natural killer (NK) cell neoplasms, with the exception of plasma

cell neoplasms], newly diagnosed in the period 1989–2007 and recorded in the

Netherlands Cancer Registry (n= 55 069). Regular mortality data were derived

from Statistics Netherlands. Follow-up was completed up to 1 January 2009.

Annual percentages of change in incidence, mortality, and relative survival were

calculated.

Results: The incidence of indolent B-cell and T- and NK-cell neoplasms rose

significantly (estimated annual percentage change = 1.2% and 1.3%,

respectively); incidence of aggressive B-cell neoplasms remained stable.

Mortality due to NHL remained stable between 1989 and 2003, and has decreased

since 2003. Five-year relative survival rates rose from 67% to 75%, and from 43%

to 52%, respectively, for indolent and aggressive mature B-cell neoplasms, but

5-year survival remained stable at 48% for T- and NK-cell neoplasms.

Conclusions: In the Netherlands, incidence of indolent mature B-cell and mature

T- and NK-cell neoplasms has increased since 1989 but remained stable for

aggressive neoplasms. Survival increased for all mature B-cell neoplasms,

preceding a declining mortality and increased prevalence of NHL (17 597 on 1

January 2008).