About HMRN

Haematological malignancies (blood cancers) are complex diseases that arise in blood- and lymph-forming tissues and have diverse causes, treatments, and outcomes. This complexity means that they are difficult for many non-specialist registries to fully capture and characterise. As a result, there is a relative lack of dependable population-based information about the underlying patterns of incidence and survival of most blood cancer subtypes. HMRN fills this knowledge gap, addressing the need for reliable data to inform clinicians, researchers, and patients.

HMRN is a collaborative venture that was initiated in 2004 by researchers at the University of York and NHS clinicians working across 14 hospitals. Within HMRN, clinical practice follows national guidelines; and all haematological cancers and their precursor conditions are diagnosed and coded using the latest World Health Organization (WHO) ICD-O-3 classification at a single integrated hematopathology laboratory - the internationally recognised Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (HMDS).

UK map featuring the Yorkshire and Humber HMRN region with the hospitals, ECSG and HMDS labelled

HMRN's regional population of around 4 million people has a similar age and sex profile to the UK, and a comparable socioeconomic and urban/rural distribution to England, as illustrated in the images below. These similarities, together with the UK's system of universal health care, means that the findings can be generalised to the country as a whole.

Our population-based patient cohort, which is the main source of the data on this website, comprises all patients diagnosed with a haematological malignancy or related precursor condition within the study region. Patients enter the cohort on the day they are diagnosed (~2,500 per year) and are regularly followed up. In addition to laboratory data generated by HMDS and clinical data collected from patients' medical records, HMRN is linked to nationwide information on deaths, cancer registrations, and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). Area-based population data and characteristics, including measures of socioeconomic deprivation and urban/rural status, are routinely obtained from the UK census and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). More information about HMRN's cohort can be found in our published cohort profile.

HMRN has a large dedicated Patient Partnership, which ensures that our research reflects the interests of patients and carers. The partnership is overseen by a committee of patients/relatives, specialist nurses and researchers who meet throughout the year to discuss projects and raise any concerns patients may have. Our participant hub, the Yorkshire and Humberside Haematology Network (YHHN), contains more information.

Choose one of the sections below to find out more or to visit YHHN.

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About HMRN

Haematological malignancies

Data sources

Yorkshire and Humberside Haematology Network