Incidence and mortality trends and geographic patterns of follicular lymphoma in Canada

Background Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent lymphoma and the 2nd most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for 10%-20% of all lymphomas in the Western world. Epidemiologic and geographic trends of FL in Canada have not been investigated. Our study's objective was to analyze incidence and mortality rates and the geographic distribution of FL patients in Canada for 1992-2010. Methods Demographic and geographic patient data for FL cases were obtained using the Canadian Cancer Registry, the Registre quebecois du cancer, and the Canadian Vital Statistics database. Incidence and mortality rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated per year and per geographic area. Rates were plotted using linear regression models to assess trends over time. Overall data were mapped using Microsoft Excel mapping software (Redmond, WA, U.S.A.) to identify case clusters across Canada. Results Approximately 22,625 patients were diagnosed with FL during 1992-2010. The age-standardized incidence rate of this malignancy in Canada was 38.3 cases per million individuals per year. Geographic analysis demonstrated that a number of Maritime provinces and Manitoba had the highest incidence rates, and that the provinces of Nova Scotia and Quebec had the highest mortality rates in the nation. Regional data demonstrated clustering of FL within cities or regions with high herbicide use, primary mining, and a strong manufacturing presence. Conclusions Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the FL burden and its geographic distribution in Canada. Regional clustering of this disease in concentrated industrial zones strongly suggests that multiple environmental factors might play a crucial role in the development of this lymphoma.