Non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma in Northern Israel: A study of 481 patients with emphasis on ethnic‐related patterns

During the period between 1970‐1984, 481 patients with previously untreated non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma were referred to the Northern Israel Oncology Center, Haifa. There were 264 (54.9%) Ashkenazi Jews, 123 (25.6%) non‐Ashkenazi Jews, and 86 (17.9%) Arabs. The mean age at diagnosis was 60 ± 15 years for Ashkenazi Jews, 45 ± 22 years for non‐Ashkenazi Jews, and 36 ± 22 years for Arabs. Ashkenazi Jews had a higher rate of nodular lymphoma compared to non‐Ashkenazi Jews and Arabs. Extranodal lymphoma occurred more frequently in non‐Ashkenazi Jews and Arabs. Lymphoma of the small intestine was more common in Arabs than in Ashkenazi and non‐Ashkenazi Jews. Despite these differences in the pattern of disease, 5 year actuarial survival figures for the various ethnic groups were similar.