Global burden of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the elderly: a population-based study using GBD 2021

Elderly people are facing an increasing burden of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, accurate information on the NHL burden among elderly people remains limited. On the basis of the Global Burden of Diseases 2021, we described the global burden of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in people aged ≥ 65 years and estimated the effects of age, period, and birth cohort on disease burden. The estimated number of prevalent cases among people aged ≥ 65 years was 1,147,321 worldwide in 2021. The age-standardized prevalence rate was 148.21 per 100,000 population. There were 306,296 new cases and 158,813 deaths. The age-standardized rates of incidence and mortality were 59.20 and 21.46 per 100,000 population, respectively. The disease burden was greater in men than in women, and it varied across regions. High-sociodemographic index countries recorded the highest age-standardized incidence and mortality rates, while low-sociodemographic index countries exhibited relatively low incidence rate but high mortality rate. From 1990 to 2021, the incidence and prevalence tended to increase, whereas mortality and disability-adjusted life years tended to decrease. Age effects tended to increase overall mortality risk with increasing age. Period effects showed improvements in mortality after 2004, and cohort effects revealed progressively lower mortality risks in successive birth years after 1922. It is estimated that the age-standardized incidence rate will be relatively stable, whereas the age-standardized mortality rate is expected to decline rapidly by 2035. A focus on elderly men and the implementation of region-specific improvements in clinical diagnosis and treatment are needed.