Hematologic malignancies, commonly known as blood cancers, begin in the bone marrow or the lymphatic system due to the abnormal growth of blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets). Tracking the statistical profiles of these diseases measures their public health impact and guides resource allocation. Understanding incidence, mortality, and survival data is fundamental to appreciating treatment progress and identifying disproportionately affected populations.
Overall Burden: Incidence and Mortality
Blood cancers collectively represent a considerable public health burden, accounting for a significant portion of all new cancer diagnoses each year. In the United States, an estimated 192,070 new diagnoses of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are projected for 2025 alone. This means approximately one new case of blood cancer is diagnosed every three minutes in the country.
The collective mortality associated with these diseases is also substantial. Projections indicate that 56,110 people will die from blood cancers in 2025, representing roughly 9.1% of all cancer-related deaths expected during that year.
Statistical Profiles of Major Types
The three primary categories of blood cancer—leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma—each have distinct statistical profiles. Lymphoma is the most frequently diagnosed group, projected to have 89,070 new cases in 2025, including both Hodgkin (HL) and Non-Hodgkin (NHL) types. NHL is far more common, projected to account for 80,350 of those new cases.
HL is relatively rare, with an estimated 8,720 new cases expected in 2025. Leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, is the second largest category, projected to have 66,890 new diagnoses. In adults, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) are the most common subtypes, representing 38% and 31% of adult cases, respectively.
Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells, is projected to account for 36,110 new cases in 2025, making it the least common major type. Subtypes of leukemia show varying age distributions. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer diagnosed in children and adolescents, accounting for 76% of cases in that age group, while AML is associated with the highest global mortality rates among the leukemias.
Survival Rates and Prognostic Trends
Survival statistics for blood cancers are typically presented using the 5-year relative survival rate. This measure estimates the percentage of patients who survive the effects of their cancer for at least five years compared to a similar group in the general population. Significant improvements have been made in survival over the past few decades, primarily due to advances in targeted therapies and stem cell transplants.
The overall 5-year relative survival rate for leukemia has more than doubled since the 1970s, reaching 70% for the period 2014-2020. Survival varies greatly by subtype: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) has a high rate of 91.0%, while Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remains more challenging, with an overall rate of 34.0%. Prognosis is also influenced by age, as the 5-year rate for ALL is 94.0% for children under 15 years old, but significantly lower for adults.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) has a 5-year relative survival rate of 74.3%, while Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) has a high rate of 88.9%. Multiple Myeloma has also seen improvements, with its current 5-year relative survival rate standing at 61.1%. These figures reflect the success of novel treatments, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors for CML and immunotherapies for lymphomas, which have fundamentally altered the disease trajectory.
Demographic Distribution and Associated Risk Factors
Statistical analysis of blood cancers reveals pronounced disparities in incidence and outcome across different demographic groups. Age is a clear factor, as the majority of new blood cancer cases, including Myeloma and most adult leukemias, occur in people over the age of 60. Conversely, ALL is concentrated in the pediatric population, making it the most common cancer in children.
Significant variation also exists based on race and ethnicity, notably in the incidence of Multiple Myeloma. African Americans have a higher risk of developing Myeloma, with rates 2 to 3 times higher than those observed in White and Asian populations. Black individuals also tend to be diagnosed with Myeloma approximately four years earlier than White individuals.
Several established external factors are linked to an increased risk of developing blood cancers. These include:
- Exposure to certain industrial chemicals, such as benzene, which is a documented risk factor for acute myeloid leukemia.
- Prior medical treatments, including high-dose radiation therapy or certain types of chemotherapy for a previous cancer.
- A history of infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is associated with increased risk for Hodgkin Lymphoma.