Leukemia alone is expected to account for about 59,610 new US diagnoses in 2023. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is projected at 80,550 cases, and multiple myeloma adds 35,730. Survival also diverges by subtype, with AML at about 29.5% 5-year survival in adults versus 87.7% for CLL.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, an estimated 59,610 new cases of leukemia (all types combined) are expected to be diagnosed in the United States, including 43,090 in males and 16,520 in females
- In 2023, leukemia caused 23,660 deaths in the US
- Smoking increases leukemia risk by 20-30%
- US 5-year relative survival for leukemia: 65.7% (2013-2019)
- R-CHOP regimen achieves 60% complete remission in DLBCL
Blood cancers remain a major health challenge, with thousands of new cases diagnosed every year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Incidence and Prevalence30 stats
01
In 2023, an estimated 59,610 new cases of leukemia (all types combined) are expected to be diagnosed in the United States, including 43,090 in males and 16,520 in females
02
Globally, leukemia accounted for 474,519 new cases in 2020, representing 2.5% of all cancer cases worldwide
03
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma incidence in the US for 2023 is projected at 80,550 new cases, with 44,120 in males and 36,430 in females
04
Multiple myeloma new cases in the US in 2023: 35,730, with 20,670 in males and 15,060 in females
05
Hodgkin lymphoma new cases in US 2023: 8,570, including 4,760 males and 3,810 females
06
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comprises 12% of leukemias in adults but 75% in children under 5 years
07
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) accounts for 25% of all leukemias in the US, primarily affecting adults over 50
08
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) incidence is about 4 per 100,000 people annually in the US, higher in those over 70
09
In Europe, non-Hodgkin lymphoma incidence rate is 23.3 per 100,000 for men and 15.7 for women (2020)
10
Globally, multiple myeloma represents 0.8% of all new cancer cases, with 176,404 cases in 2020
11
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) new cases in US 2023: 20,380
12
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) incidence: 1.8-2.1 per 100,000 adults annually worldwide
13
In the UK, blood cancer incidence has increased by 26% since the early 1990s, reaching 13,762 new cases in 2019
14
Among US adults, CLL/SLL is the most common leukemia subtype, with 18,740 new cases in 2023
15
Pediatric leukemia incidence: 4,510 new cases per year in US children under 20
16
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accounts for 30-40% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas
17
Follicular lymphoma: second most common NHL subtype, about 20% of cases in Western countries
18
In Asia, NHL incidence is lower at 5-10 per 100,000 compared to 15-20 in Western populations
19
US prevalence of multiple myeloma in 2022: 136,639 people living with the disease
20
Waldenström macroglobulinemia incidence: 3-4 cases per million people per year
21
Hairy cell leukemia: rare, 1,000 new US cases yearly, mostly in men aged 50-60
22
Global leukemia prevalence: 1,375,987 people living with it in 2020
23
In Australia, blood cancers represent 9.4% of all new cancers, with 6,155 cases in 2022
24
Mantle cell lymphoma: 5-10% of NHL cases, median age at diagnosis 68 years
25
Burkitt lymphoma: rare, 1,200 US cases yearly, more common in children (30-50% of pediatric NHL)
26
Marginal zone lymphoma: 5-10% of NHL, often indolent
27
Plasma cell myeloma age-adjusted incidence rate in US: 7.1 per 100,000 (2016-2020)
28
Leukemia incidence peaks in children under 5 (peak rate 8.9 per million) and adults over 65
29
In Canada, 6,400 new blood cancer cases expected in 2023
30
Primary CNS lymphoma incidence: 0.5 per 100,000, increasing in immunocompromised
Interpretation
Incidence and Prevalence Interpretation
Behind every one of these staggering numbers is a person whose life has been hijacked by a disease that doesn't discriminate, though it clearly has its favorites, proving that while blood cancers are a formidable global adversary, they're also a deeply personal war.
02 · Category
Mortality Rates28 stats
01
In 2023, leukemia caused 23,660 deaths in the US
02
Globally, leukemia mortality in 2020: 309,586 deaths
03
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma US deaths 2023: 20,140
04
Multiple myeloma US deaths 2023: 12,590
05
Hodgkin lymphoma US deaths 2023: 910
06
AML mortality in US: 11,310 deaths in 2023
07
CLL mortality: lower due to indolence, but 4,410 US deaths in 2023
08
Global multiple myeloma deaths 2020: 117,077
09
Pediatric leukemia deaths in US: about 590 per year
10
NHL age-adjusted death rate in US (2017-2021): 4.8 per 100,000
11
In the UK, blood cancer causes 13,000 deaths annually
12
Myeloma death rate in US: 3.0 per 100,000 (2017-2021)
13
Hodgkin lymphoma mortality has declined 72% since 1975 in US
14
Global leukemia death rate highest in low-income countries at 6.7 per 100,000
15
MDS mortality: median survival 2.5 years, often progresses to AML
16
DLBCL mortality: 40-50% if untreated, but improved with R-CHOP
17
CML deaths have dropped 82% since imatinib introduction
18
In Europe, NHL mortality rate: 5.4 per 100,000 men, 3.5 women (2020)
19
US leukemia death rate (2017-2021): 6.1 per 100,000
20
Follicular lymphoma mortality low, 5-year risk of death 25% for stage I
21
Burkitt lymphoma deaths rare in treated patients, 10-20% mortality in HIV-associated
22
Mantle cell lymphoma median survival 3-5 years
23
Waldenström macroglobulinemia mortality: 5-10% per year transformation risk
24
Hairy cell leukemia mortality near 0% with treatment
25
Primary CNS lymphoma mortality: median survival 1.5 months untreated, 10-15 months with MTX
26
Marginal zone lymphoma mortality very low for MALT type (<5% at 10 years)
27
In Australia, blood cancer mortality: 3,113 deaths in 2022
28
Global NHL deaths 2020: 259,793
Interpretation
Mortality Rates Interpretation
These grim figures remind us that while science has won some heroic, headline-grabbing battles against blood cancers—like a 72% plummet in Hodgkin lymphoma deaths and CML's near eviction thanks to imatinib—the war drags on in too many trenches, from the 590 children lost yearly in the US to the persistently cruel statistics in low-income countries, proving that a cure for one is not a victory for all.
03 · Category
Risk Factors and Causes25 stats
01
Smoking increases leukemia risk by 20-30%
02
Benzene exposure raises AML risk 2-4 fold in occupational settings
03
Ionizing radiation exposure increases leukemia risk (e.g., atomic bomb survivors RR 5-10)
04
Family history doubles risk for CLL
05
Down syndrome children have 20-500x higher ALL risk
06
HIV infection increases NHL risk 100-fold
07
EBV associated with 70% Burkitt lymphoma in endemic areas
08
Obesity raises myeloma risk by 1.1-1.5x per 5 BMI units
09
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) precedes 1% annual myeloma progression
10
Pesticide exposure linked to 40% increased NHL risk in farmers
11
HTLV-1 infection causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in 5% carriers
12
Prior chemotherapy increases therapy-related MDS/AML risk 1-5%
13
Autoimmune diseases raise NHL risk 2-80x (e.g., Sjogren's)
14
Age >65 triples myeloma incidence
15
Male sex increases risk for most blood cancers (1.3-2x NHL, leukemia)
16
Hepatitis C triples risk of marginal zone lymphoma
17
Smoking doubles Hodgkin lymphoma risk in young adults
18
Alcohol consumption inversely associated with CLL risk (20% lower)
19
Asbestos exposure linked to 2x myeloma risk
20
Genetic mutations like TP53 increase MDS progression risk 50%
21
Immunosuppressants post-transplant raise PTLD risk 10-100x
22
H. pylori infection causes 90% gastric MALT lymphoma
23
Philadelphia chromosome defines 95% CML cases
24
Fanconi anemia patients have 500-1000x AML risk
25
Night shift work increases NHL risk by 25%
Interpretation
Risk Factors and Causes Interpretation
If we gathered all the known culprits—from errant genes to errant chemicals, from workplace toxins to midnight shifts—for a blood cancer suspect lineup, our own modern lifestyle would be standing there, hands in its pockets, whistling innocently, yet wearing the smoking jacket of cigarettes, the industrial slick of benzene, the label of obesity, and holding a clock perpetually set to the wrong hour.
More related reading
04 · Category
Survival Rates28 stats
01
US 5-year relative survival for leukemia: 65.7% (2013-2019)
02
Childhood ALL 5-year survival: 90.4% in US (2014-2020)
03
AML 5-year survival in adults: 29.5%
04
CLL 5-year survival: 87.7%, highest among leukemias
05
Hodgkin lymphoma 5-year survival: 88.7% overall, 94.5% localized
06
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 5-year survival: 74.3%
07
Multiple myeloma 5-year survival: 59.8% (2013-2019)
08
CML 5-year survival: 70.4%, improved post-TKI
09
DLBCL 5-year survival: 63% with R-CHOP
10
Follicular lymphoma 5-year survival: 88-95% for early stage
11
Pediatric AML 5-year survival: 70%
12
Mantle cell lymphoma median survival: 4-6 years with intensive therapy
13
Hairy cell leukemia 10-year survival: >95%
14
Waldenström macroglobulinemia median survival: 5-10 years
15
Burkitt lymphoma 5-year survival: 60% adults, 90% children
16
Marginal zone lymphoma 10-year survival: 70-80% for nodal type
17
MDS low-risk 5-year survival: 65%, high-risk: 25%
18
Primary CNS lymphoma 5-year survival: 30-40% with high-dose MTX
19
Multiple myeloma median survival improved to 7-10 years with novel agents
20
CLL 10-year survival for early stage: 50-70%
21
Hodgkin lymphoma 10-year survival: 80-85%
22
In Europe, NHL 5-year survival: 66% for men, 69% women
23
US leukemia survival by stage: 83% localized, 70% regional, 37% distant
24
ALL adult 5-year survival: 35-40%
25
CML 10-year survival post-TKI: 85%
26
Follicular lymphoma transformation to DLBCL reduces survival to 2 years median
27
Myeloma survival by stage: 82% stage I, 62% stage III at 5 years
28
Pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma 5-year survival: >95%
Interpretation
Survival Rates Interpretation
While the statistics reveal a harrowing battlefield—where a child’s ALL prognosis shines with hope at over 90%, an adult facing AML confronts odds of barely 30%—the brutal truth is that survival in blood cancers is a stark lottery of age, subtype, and stage, proving that while we've won many battles, the war remains fiercely uneven.
05 · Category
Treatment and Outcomes24 stats
01
R-CHOP regimen achieves 60% complete remission in DLBCL
02
Imatinib (TKI) leads to 90% major cytogenetic response in CML chronic phase
03
Stem cell transplant cures 40-50% high-risk AML in first remission
04
CAR-T therapy (axicabtagene ciloleucel) 52% ORR in relapsed DLBCL
05
Brentuximab vedotin improves PFS by 23 months in Hodgkin lymphoma
06
Daratumumab + bortezomib boosts myeloma PFS to 18 months vs 9 months
07
Venetoclax achieves 80% response in relapsed CLL del(17p)
08
ABVD chemotherapy 5-year FFS 80% in early Hodgkin lymphoma
09
Ibrutinib ORR 71% in relapsed mantle cell lymphoma
10
Blinatumomab 44% CR in relapsed/refractory B-ALL adults
11
Lenalidomide maintenance post-transplant extends myeloma PFS 41 months
12
Rituximab monotherapy 50% response in follicular lymphoma
13
Allogeneic HSCT 5-year OS 50% in CLL high-risk
14
Polatuzumab vedotin + R-CHOP improves DLBCL PFS HR 0.73
15
Nilotinib 74% MMR at 2 years in CML
16
Selinexor + bortezomib 76% ORR in triple-class refractory myeloma
17
Tisagenlecleucel CAR-T 52% CR in pediatric/young adult B-ALL
18
Idelalisib 57% ORR in relapsed CLL
19
Bendamustine + rituximab 90% ORR in indolent NHL
20
Cladribine 85% CR in hairy cell leukemia
21
ASCT 5-year PFS 50% in multiple myeloma
22
Acalabrutinib 95% PFS at 48 months in high-risk CLL
23
Teclistamab bispecific 63% ORR in relapsed/refractory myeloma
24
EPOCH-R regimen 88% CR in DLBCL primary mediastinal B-cell
Interpretation
Treatment and Outcomes Interpretation
The humble human lymphocyte, once a tragic weak spot, now faces a formidable and ever-expanding arsenal of cleverly engineered therapies that are steadily turning once-dismal blood cancer statistics into inspiring, though still hard-fought, stories of remission and even cure.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Blood Cancer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/blood-cancer-statistics
MLA
Christopher Morgan. "Blood Cancer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/blood-cancer-statistics.
Chicago
Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Blood Cancer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/blood-cancer-statistics.
Sources & references
19 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level