Key Statistics for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children
About 7% of all cancers in children and teens are non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs).
About 1,200 children and teens are diagnosed with NHL in the United States each year.
NHL is about 2 to 3 times more common in boys than in girls, and it is more common in White children than Black children.
Overall, the risk of NHL in children increases with age. It can develop in children at any age, but it's uncommon in children younger than 5.
Statistics on survival can be found in Survival Rates for Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
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The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Gross TG, Kamdar KY, Bollard CM. Chapter 19: Malignant Non–Hodgkin Lymphomas in Children. In: Blaney SM, Adamson PC, Helman LJ, eds. Pizzo and Poplack’s Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncology. 8th ed. Philadelphia Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2021.
National Cancer Institute. Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version. 2024. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/lymphoma/hp/child-nhl-treatment-pdq on January 17, 2025.
Termuhlen AM, Gross TG. Overview of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children and adolescents. UpToDate. 2024. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-non-hodgkin-lymphoma-in-children-and-adolescents on January 17, 2025.
Last Revised: January 17, 2025
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