Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the seventh most common cancer in the United States, with roughly 80,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It accounts for about 4% of all cancers, making it relatively common compared to many other cancer types but still far less frequent than breast, lung, or colon cancer. The median age at diagnosis is 68, and the disease is more common in men than women.
How Many People Are Diagnosed Each Year
In the U.S., approximately 80,000 people receive a non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis annually. That translates to an incidence rate of roughly 19 per 100,000 people per year. To put that in perspective, about 1 in 42 Americans will develop some form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma during their lifetime.
Globally, incidence varies widely by region, with an approximate five-fold difference between the highest and lowest rates. Australia, New Zealand, and North America report the highest rates (around 12 to 12.5 per 100,000, age-standardized). Northern Europe follows closely at 11.4 per 100,000. South-Central Asia has the lowest rates at 2.7 per 100,000, followed by Middle Africa at 3.6 and Western Africa at 4.5. These gaps likely reflect differences in diagnostic capacity, environmental exposures, infection patterns, and genetic factors.
Who Gets It Most Often
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is primarily a disease of older adults. The largest share of new cases, 28.5%, occurs in people aged 65 to 74. Another 22.4% are diagnosed between ages 75 and 84, and 20.5% between 55 and 64. Only about 5% of cases occur in people under 35, and just 1.6% in those under 20.
Men are diagnosed significantly more often than women. Overall, women have about a 30% lower incidence rate. The gap is even wider for certain subtypes: Burkitt lymphoma, for example, occurs in men roughly 4.5 times more often than in women. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma shows a male-to-female ratio of about 1.7 to 1. Pregnancy appears to offer a modest protective effect. A large study of over 121,000 women found that those who had been pregnant had a roughly 16% lower risk of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with the protective effect increasing slightly with more pregnancies.
Differences by Race and Geography
Non-Hispanic White Americans have higher rates of several common subtypes, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, compared to non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic populations. However, urban versus rural patterns add nuance. Hispanic populations in urban areas have notably higher rates of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma than those in rural areas (10.3 vs. 7.0 per 100,000), and non-Hispanic Black populations show a similar urban-rural gap (7.1 vs. 5.6 per 100,000). For non-Hispanic White populations, the urban-rural difference is minimal.
The Most Common Subtypes
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is not a single disease. It encompasses more than 60 subtypes, but a few dominate. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common aggressive form, accounting for roughly 17% of all lymphomas. It grows quickly and typically requires prompt treatment. Follicular lymphoma is the most common slow-growing (indolent) form, making up about 14% of cases. Follicular lymphoma often progresses slowly enough that some patients are monitored for months or years before treatment becomes necessary.
Other notable subtypes include mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, and various T-cell lymphomas, each with distinct behavior and outlook. The subtype matters enormously for treatment decisions and prognosis, which is why accurate diagnosis through biopsy and specialized testing is essential.
Survival and Outlook
The overall five-year relative survival rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma is approximately 74%, meaning about three in four people diagnosed are alive five years later compared to the general population. This number has improved substantially over the past few decades, driven largely by better-targeted therapies.
Survival varies dramatically by subtype and stage. Slow-growing forms like follicular lymphoma carry five-year survival rates well above 80%, and many people live with them for a decade or more. Aggressive forms like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma have lower survival rates overall, but they respond well to treatment in many cases, and a significant portion of patients achieve long-term remission. Early-stage disease caught before it spreads beyond a single lymph node region has a considerably better outlook than disease that has spread widely at the time of diagnosis.
Risk Factors That Affect Your Odds
Age is the single biggest risk factor. Your risk rises steadily after age 50 and peaks between 65 and 74. Being male roughly doubles your risk compared to being female, depending on the subtype.
A weakened immune system is another major contributor. People who take immune-suppressing medications after organ transplants, those with HIV, and people with autoimmune conditions all face elevated risk. Certain chronic infections also play a role. The bacterium that causes stomach ulcers (H. pylori) is linked to a specific type of lymphoma in the stomach lining, and the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mono, is associated with some subtypes.
Chemical exposures have drawn attention as well. Long-term exposure to certain pesticides and herbicides has been associated with increased risk in agricultural workers, though the degree of risk from typical consumer-level exposure remains debated. Obesity and a diet low in fruits and vegetables may modestly increase risk, though these associations are weaker than the immune-related factors.