Incidence trends of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children in the United States from 2000 to 2020

Background

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) originates from the lymphoid tissues with a great morbidity and economic burden. It accounts for about 5 % of cancers in the United States (US) in 2024. We aimed to report the incidence trend of pediatric NHL in the US over 2000–2020, by age, sex, and subtype.

Methods

We utilized data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Cases were categorized using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology version 3. We reported age-standariszed incidence rates (ASIRs) and average annual percent changes (AAPC).

Results

From 2000 to 2019, there were 38,098 reported cases of pediatric NHL, with B-cell NHL being the most common subtype (84.31 %). Most cases were observed in non-Hispanic Whites (46.71 %) and children aged ≤4 years (37.26 %). The ASIR per 100,000 population was 5.47 (5.40–5.54) for males and 3.95 (3.89–4.01) for females. Over the study period, both sexes showed significant increases in ASIRs (AAPCs of 0.93 % for males and 0.51 % for females). However, no significant changes were observed in the ASIRs of pediatric NHL across all races and both sexes after the COVID-19 pandemic (percent change: 1.30 % [-5.10, 7.70]).

Conclusions

While overall incidence rates remained stable, significant demographic variations were evident, including increases among Hispanic males and decreases among NHB females. There is a need for targeted interventions to address demographic disparities and the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors influencing NHL ASIRs in pediatric populations.