All-Cause Mortality Elevated for Adult Five-Year Survivors of Hodgkin Lymphoma

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Five-year survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) diagnosed during adulthood experience nearly twofold higher all-cause mortality than the general population, according to a research letter published online Aug. 18 in JAMA Network Open.

Bryan Valcarcel, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from 16 population-based registries of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program to quantify excess all-cause mortality among 20,057 five-year HL survivors diagnosed during adulthood.

The researchers found that mortality was significantly higher for HL survivors than the general U.S. population (2,899 observed versus 1,480.8 expected deaths; standardized mortality ratio [SMR], 1.96), corresponding to an excess absolute risk (EAR) of 81.9 per 10,000 patient-years. For all major causes of death, the relative mortality risk was higher, primarily from malignant conditions. Other noncancer and cardiovascular causes accounted for the largest absolute number of excess deaths. There was variation in excess mortality across subgroups; SMRs were greater than 2.50 for Hispanic patients, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native patients, non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander patients, and those diagnosed at ages 20 to 39 years. Adults aged 60 to 89 years, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native patients, and those diagnosed with mixed-cellularity HL had the highest EARs.

“Our findings confirm comprehensive survivorship care focused on cardiovascular health, secondary cancers and other chronic conditions important to improve long-term survival outcomes,” coauthor Luis Malpica, M.D., from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text