Lymphoma Treatment and Survival Rate

July 13, 2024

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Alex Herrera, M.D., associate professor, division of lymphoma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Duarte

Lymphoma treatment plans are tailored to the lymphoma type and subtype, the stage of cancer and other individual health factors. For each patient, specific recommendations are made for a combination of treatment options based on these factors and the newest therapies available.

Treatment and survival rates for lymphoma are continually improving through clinical trials and experience.

Treatments for Lymphoma

The most common treatment for both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma is combination chemotherapy. Newer lymphoma treatments, such as radiation therapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, are often combined with chemotherapy to help increase the chances treatment may be successful.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy involves using one or more drugs to prevent cancer cells from growing and dividing. The goal is to destroy the cancer cells. A chemotherapy regimen usually involves a specific number of cycles of the chosen medication or combination of medications given over a period of time.

Radiation therapy: During radiation therapy, a doctor who is an expert in using radiation to treat cancer (a radiation oncologist) uses high-energy X-rays or protons to target and destroy cancer cells. For lymphoma, doctors typically use external beam radiation, which involves a machine outside the body directing radiation at the affected lymph nodes. This therapy usually involves multiple treatments given over a period of time.

Immunotherapy: Immunotherapies are medications that stimulate the body’s natural defenses (the immune system) to attack cancer cells. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several different immunotherapy drugs for the treatment of lymphoma.

Targeted therapy: Treatments that use medications to target specific genes or proteins that contribute to cancer growth are called targeted therapies. Depending on the types of genes, proteins or other factors present in the tumor, doctors may be able to match patients with therapies that may block the growth and spread of lymphoma cells.

Stem cell transplants: Hematopoietic stem cells are specialized blood-forming cells found in both the bloodstream and the center of most bones (bone marrow). During a stem cell transplant for lymphoma, these healthy stem cells are collected from either a matched donor or the patient before treatment. After chemotherapy, the stem cells are given to the patient to help restore the immune system and fight any leftover cancer cells.

Bone marrow transplants: A bone marrow transplant procedure is similar to a stem cell transplant. The only difference is that the stem cells in this case are collected from the donor’s bone marrow during a brief surgery instead of from their blood. Bone marrow transplant for lymphoma is generally used when the patient has lymphoma that remains or returns after treatment.

Lymphoma Survival Rate

Overall, the lymphoma prognosis for each patient depends on a number of factors. These factors may include the type of disease, the stage and individual patient health factors, such as lymphoma symptoms, age and how well they tolerate treatments.

The five-year relative survival rate of any type of cancer is the estimated percentage of patients expected to survive their cancer’s effects for five years or more, compared to people without that cancer type. They are averages based on research on large groups of people, so they cannot predict exactly what will happen to any individual patient. The individual responses of each patient to their lymphoma treatment is unique.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates the five-year relative survival rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma to be 74.3%, based on the most recent available data from 2014 to 2020.

Additionally, the five-year relative survival rate for Hodgkin lymphoma is 88.9%, based on data from the same time period, according to NCI.

It is important to keep in mind that these statistics are based on patient data that is at least five years old, and it may not reflect the most recent advances in medicine.

Read more to learn about lymphoma treatment and survival by type:

• Hodgkin lymphoma treatment and survival
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment and survival