The number of newly diagnosed classical Hodgkin lymphoma cases across the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan and China (8MM) is expected to rise from 27,000 in 2025 to 28,000 by 2035, according to GlobalData.

The company’s latest report, Hodgkin Lymphoma: Epidemiology Report and Forecast, projects an annual growth rate of 0.31% over the period.

The US is forecast to record the highest number of diagnosed incident cases among the 8MM, reaching more than 8,700 in 2035. China is expected to record around 6,500 cases, followed by Japan at approximately 2,600.

Across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK (5MM), diagnosed cases are forecast to total around 9,900 by 2035.

GlobalData epidemiologists also found that classical Hodgkin lymphoma occurs at higher rates among men than women. Robyn Jones, Epidemiologist at GlobalData, said this is consistent with wider research, adding that female sex hormones including oestrogen and progesterone may offer some protection.

Research has suggested these hormones could inhibit the growth of lymphoid cancer cells and reduce their ability to spread, although further studies are required to establish the relationship.

China was also found to have notably higher rates of classical Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed at stage four. GlobalData attributed this potentially to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), associated disease characteristics and delays in diagnosis.

Jones said cases classified histologically as mixed cellularity are strongly associated with EBV and tend to spread more extensively by the time of diagnosis, which may help explain the higher proportion of stage-four cases observed in China.