Hodgkin lymphoma mortality trends in age subgroups from 1999 to 2020 in the United States.

Abstract

e19515 Background: Hodgkin Lymphoma has a bimodal distribution with the first peak between ages 15-35 and the second peak being 55 years old and older. Advancements in treatment therapies have improved mortality such that Hodgkin Lymphoma is considered a curable disease. However, treatment outcomes in elderly patients are inferior to those of younger patients. In our study, we analyzed Hodgkin Lymphoma mortality from 1999 to 2020 in the United States. We investigated age-adjusted mortality rates and annual percent changes with a sub-group analysis. Methods: Using the CDC Wonder database, we examined mortality trends from 1999 to 2020 for Hodgkin Lymphoma in adults age 55 and older in the United States. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were calculated per 100,000 people and stratified patients by sex, race/ethnicity, and census region. We computed the annual percentage change trends for the respective stratification using Joinpoint regression software. Additionally, a comparison group between ages 15 and 54 was added for the analysis. Results: In the United States, between 1999 and 2020 there were 24,898 deaths from Hodgkin Lymphoma in Adults 55 and older. The overall age adjusted mortality rate improved from 1.9 per 100,000 people to 1.4, with a respective APC of -2.06%. Our subgroup analysis by sex, race, and census region showed improvements circumferentially. Males consistently had higher rates of improvement than females. Most notably black patients had the lowest difference in AAMR from 1999 to 2020 (0.2), however, white patients and Hispanic patients respectively had higher AAMRs. The comparison group ages 15-54 had lower AAMR change from 1999 to 2020 by sex, race, and region. However, the respective AAMR for the age 15-54 group was significantly lower. Conclusions: Hodgkin Lymphoma has had significant age adjusted mortality rate improvements since 1999. Comparing adults 55 and older to patients 15-54 there is still a notable difference in AAMR. The greater magnitude of improvement in AAMR in older adults with Hodgkin Lymphoma may be related to the approval of agents such as brentuximab vedotin, which has improved tolerability as compared to bleomycin. Alleviating pulmonary toxicity with this novel agent may be more relevant in an older patient population with increased comorbidities. Further, research is needed to continue to identify more efficacious and less toxic therapies for older individuals with Hodgkin Lymphoma. [Table: see text]