OBJECTIVES: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a malignant tumor of the lymphoid tissue which originates from B lymphocyte and is less common in T lymphocyte. It is a rare cancer with heterogeneous presentation. A review was conducted to summarize the epidemiological burden of HL in adults and different subgroups according to age and geographical location.

METHODS: A targeted literature search of published studies in English in last 10 years was performed using PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. Real world evidence studies with reported data on the prevalence of HL patients were included. Widely used cancer databases like GLOBOCAN and EUCAN were searched as a part of the grey literature.

RESULTS: The prevalence rate of HL in Asian and African countries was 1.96 and 2.06 respectively. The prevalence of HL was high in European countries including the European Union Five (EU5 - France, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom). In 2018, prevalence rate ranged from 15.39 in Lebanon, 14.98 in Croatia, 11.89 in Greece, 11.37 in France, and 9.19 in Spain. Genetic factors are the major cause for prevalence in Europe. Higher prevalence was reported in males compared to females. Individuals with comorbidities like human papilloma virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were also associated with a higher prevalence.

CONCLUSIONS: When compared to Asian and African countries, the prevalence of HL was higher in European countries. Further investigation is needed to examine the reason for higher prevalence in European countries.