Studies of survival in hematological malignancies (HMs) have generally shown an improvement over time, although most of these studies are limited by a short follow-up period. Using the NORDCAN database with data from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, we follow periodic increases in relative survival in seven HMs through half a century up to 2015-2019. Five-year survival improved in all seven HMs, reaching 90% for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), myeloproliferative neoplasias and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 60% for multiple myeloma (MM) and chronic myeloid leukemias (CMLs), 50% for the myelodysplastic syndromes and 30% for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Improvements in survival over 50 years ranged from 20% to more than 50% units across the different HMs. The likely reasons for such progress include earlier diagnoses, improved risk stratification and advances in treatment. We observed differing temporal trends in improvements in survival. The gradual increases observed in HL, CLL and AML highlight the impact of optimization of existing therapies and improvements in diagnostics and risk stratification, whereas the rapid increases observed in the CMLs and MM highlight the impact of novel therapies. Recent therapeutic advances may further improve survival in HMs where survival remains low such as in AML.

Biomedical Center Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Center in Pilsen Charles University Prague 30605 Pilsen Czech Republic

Division of Cancer Epidemiology German Cancer Research Center Im Neuenheimer Feld 580 D 69120 Heidelberg Germany

Division of Genetics and Epidemiology The Institute of Cancer Research London UK

Division of Pediatric Neurooncology German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg Germany

Haemato oncology Unit The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Sutton UK

Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg Germany

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Visual presentation of age differences in relative survival of hematological neoplasms in Sweden and the neighboring countries

Age-specific survival in acute myeloid leukemia in the Nordic countries through a half century

Large differencies in age-specific survival in multiple myeloma in the nordic countries