Statistics

According to the U.S. Cancer Statistics: 2004 Incidence and Mortality report, more than 100,000 cases of hematologic cancers were diagnosed in the United States in 2004, and 54,264 people died from these cancers that same year.¹ Hematologic cancers include leukemias, lymphomas, and myeloma.

Note: The word "significantly" below refers to statistical significance. 2004 is the latest year for which trend data are available.

Leukemia

• The number of new cases of leukemia diagnosed each year (incidence) in the United States increased significantly from 1975–2004, by 0.2% per year.²



• However, deaths from leukemia decreased by 0.8% per year from 1995–2004. This trend is particularly notable among children, for whom deaths from leukemia decreased by 2.9% per year from 1990–2004.²

Lymphoma

• Incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma increased significantly in the United States by 0.7% per year from 1991–2004. This increase is particularly notable among women, for whom the incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma increased significantly by 1.4% per year from 1988–2004.²



• Conversely, deaths from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma decreased significantly in the United States, by 3.3% per year from 1997–2004.²

Myeloma

• Incidence of myeloma in the United States increased significantly by 0.7% per year from 1975–2004.² Also during this time, incidence of myeloma increased significantly by 0.6% per year among African Americans.²



• However, deaths from myeloma in the United States decreased significantly by 3.0% per year from 2002–2004. During 1995–2004, myeloma deaths among African Americans decreased significantly by 1.4% per year.²

References

1. U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 2004 Incidence and Mortality. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2007.
   
   
2. Ries LAG, Eisner MP, Kosary CL, Hankey BF, Miller BA, Clegg L, Mariotto A, Feuer EJ, Edwards BK (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2004, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, based on November 2006 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER Web site 2007.