Redefining the Journey: How Lymphoma Survivorship Has Transformed Over Time

When the Lymphoma Research Foundation was founded in 1995, the outcomes post-lymphoma diagnosis—and the resources available for cancer survivors and their loved ones—looked very different. With the advent of lifespan-expanding advanced therapies and an increased focus on survivor-specific research, the survivorship journey has transformed and changed in the thirty years since the Foundation’s inception.

What hasn’t changed, however, is our focus on understanding, caring for, and advocating for lymphoma survivors—and our determination to ensuring that more people have long, healthy, happy lives for years to come.

Emerging Treatments, Expanded Lives

Over the past thirty years, our understanding of lymphoma has dramatically increased— thanks in no small part to Foundation-supported research and scientists. This deepened understanding has led to a total transformation of the treatment landscape: a better grasp on how lymphoma grows from a single errant cell into full-fledged disease and how to diagnose it earlier for a stronger chance at a better outcome, a new focus on novel therapies that harness the power of patients’ own immune systems, and a constant search for treatments that increase survival from months to years while decreasing short- and long-term side effects.

Better diagnostic tools and more effective treatments, including newer immunotherapy options like chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies, have all led to an increase in survivorship rates. The current data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows an overall survival rate of nearly 87 percent in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 88 percent in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, and 73 percent in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The lymphoma community isn’t just surviving— they’re living longer, with more durable remissions, and years of life to look forward to after treatment is over.

A Voice for Lymphoma Survivors

The number of lymphoma survivors is growing annually, with better treatments and more finely-honed diagnostic tools leading to more and more years of life postdiagnosis. But what about the long-term impacts of cancer treatment— not just the physical ones, but also the emotional ripple effects?

The number of lymphoma survivors is growing annually, with better treatments and more finely-honed diagnostic tools leading to more and more years of life post-diagnosis.

We know that survivors can face significant challenges after treatment ends— everything from fertility issues and nerve damage to anxiety and fears of relapse and recurrence. Survivors need care—and advocacy—that’s focused on their unique needs.

The Foundation is addressing those needs by creating survivor-specific resources and support tools that speak to the distinct challenges that survivors face. We also aim to be a voice for lymphoma survivors, amplifying survivor stories through our Stories of Hope and making survivorship advocacy, in particular legislation focused on the study of cancer survivorship and protecting access to quality health insurance for anyone with a pre-existing condition, a dedicated part of our 2025 Public Policy Agenda.

Looking Ahead to Longer, Healthier Lives

Looking toward the future, we know that the work of understanding and improving the lives of lymphoma survivors is just beginning. As the number of lymphoma survivors continues to grow, it’s more important than ever to focus on treatments that provide not just more life, but
better quality of life, resources designed to meet survivors where they are, and community-building opportunities that give survivors the chance to connect with those who understand just what they’ve gone through.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation—along with the researchers and healthcare practitioners who have dedicated their careers to treating and caring for those touched by this disease—is committed to improving the lives of lymphoma survivors, from the moment of diagnosis to beyond. Together, our work will lead not just to more survivors, but more joyful, healthy futures to look forward to.