Lymphoid neoplasm incidence by WHO subtype in Australia 1982–2006

• Published in: International journal of cancer 2014-11, Vol.135 (9), p.2146-2156
• Main Authors: Leeuwen, Marina T., Turner, Jennifer J., Joske, David J., Falster, Michael O., Srasuebkul, Preeyaporn, Meagher, Nicola S., Grulich, Andrew E., Giles, Graham G., Vajdic, Claire M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Age Factors; Aged; Australia - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Child; Child, Preschool; Classification; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hodgkin lymphoma; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Leukemia; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Lymphoma; Lymphoma - classification; Lymphoma - epidemiology; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; non‐Hodgkin lymphoma; Prognosis; Sex Factors; Time Factors; trend; Trends; Tumors; World Health Organization; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28849

There are limited data characterizing the subtype‐specific incidence of lymphoid neoplasms in the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification era. Data were obtained on all incident lymphoid neoplasms registered in Australia during 1982–2006. Subtypes were grouped using the InterLymph nested hierarchical classification, based on the 2008 WHO Classification. Temporal trends were examined using Joinpoint regression; average annual percentage change in incidence was computed. Multiple Poisson regression was used to compare incidence by sex and age. The incidence of all non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) increased by 2.5%/year during 1982–1996 and was stable thereafter. During 1997–2006, several mature B‐ and natural killer (NK)‐/T‐cell NHL subtypes increased in incidence, including diffuse large B‐cell (1.3%/year), follicular (2.5%/year), Burkitt (6.8%/year), marginal zone (13.2%/year), mantle cell (4.2%/year), peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (4.7%/year) and plasmacytoma (7.1%/year). While chronic lymphocytic leukemia incidence was stable, small lymphocytic lymphoma incidence declined (8.1%/year). Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) incidence increased during 1997–2006 (2.2%/year), both classical (4.3%/year) and nodular lymphocyte predominant (12.1%/year) HL. Diagnostic artifact, evidenced by a sustained decline in the incidence of NHL not otherwise specified (NOS; 5.8%/year) and lymphoid neoplasms NOS (5.6%/year), limits the interpretation of temporal trends for some subtypes. A marked male predominance was observed for almost all subtypes. Incidence of mature B‐ and NK‐/T‐cell NHL subtypes increased sharply with age, except for Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia. For HL subtypes, a bimodal age distribution was only evident for nodular sclerosis HL. Variation in incidence patterns over time and by sex and age supports etiological differences between lymphoid neoplasm subtypes. What's New? Lymphoid neoplasms are a very heterogeneous group of cancers, but limited data exist on the incidence of specific lymphoma subtypes. The authors use population‐based cancer registry data to systematically describe subtype‐specific incidence patterns of lymphoid neoplasms in Australia. While the incidence rate of Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma stabilized between 1997 and 2006, increases were observed for diffuse large B‐cell, follicular, peripheral T‐cell, plasmacytoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma. These observations may help answer questions related to etiology and public health burden associated with the individual lympho