Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma that occurs worldwide. A study of BL in the US National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program during 1973 to 2005 (n = 3043) revealed three age-specific incidence peaks of BL and rates that were rising. We studied BL cases diagnosed in SEER 22 during 2000 to 2019 (n = 11 626) to investigate age-specific BL incidence rates and temporal trends. The age-standardized BL incidence rate was 3.96/million person-years, with a 2.85:1 male-to-female ratio. The BL rate among both Hispanic and White individuals was higher than in Black individuals (4.52, 4.12 vs 3.14). Age-specific BL rates showed peaks during pediatric, adult and elderly years in males and pediatric and elderly peaks in females. Based on 4524 BL cases with HIV status (SEER 13), only one peak in adult males (45 years) was observed. Overall age-standardized BL incidence rates rose 1.2%/year (not significant) up to 2009 then fell significantly by 2.4%/year thereafter. Temporal trends in BL rates during 2000 to 2019 varied with age group as pediatric BL rates rose 1.1%/year, while elderly BL rates fell 1.7%/year and adult BL rates rose 3.4%/year until 2007 before falling 3.1%/year thereafter. Overall survival from BL was 64% at 2 years, being highest in pediatric patients and lowest in Black and elderly individuals vs other subgroups. Survival improved by 20% between 2000 and 2019. Our data suggest that BL age-specific incidence rates are multimodal and that overall BL rates rose up to 2009 and then fell, suggesting changes in etiological factors or diagnosis.
Keywords: Burkitt lymphoma; Epstein-Barr virus; HIV; epidemiology; non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.