Cancer mortality by age - UK statistics

This page presents mortality statistics from cancer by age at death for all cancers combined, as well as cancer deaths in relation to other causes of death by age.

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Cancer deaths by age

The distribution of deaths from cancer, by age and sex, is shown in Figure 3.1.1-3 The death rates from cancer rise with increasing age and the majority of cancer deaths occur in those aged over 65 (77%).

Figure 3.1: All Cancers (C00-97 ) Average Number of Deaths Per Year and Age-Specific Mortality Rates, UK, 2007-2009

deaths_crude_all.swf

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Deaths from cancer of unknown primary (CUP, also known as malignancy of unknown origin or cancer registered without specification of primary site) accounted for more than 10,000 deaths in 2009 in the UK.

section updated 03/11/11

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Cancer deaths compared with other causes of death in the UK by age

Cancer caused 40% of all deaths in all people aged between 25 and 74 in the UK in the latest period 2007-2009, but was responsible for fewer than a quarter (22%) of all deaths in the over 75s.4-7

Figures 3.2 and 3.3 show the differences between the top four causes of death by age group and sex. Cancer was the leading cause of death in all age groups except 15-24 year olds.

For males, cancer caused 17% of all deaths in the 25-49 year old adults, compared with 40% of 50-74 year olds and 26% of those aged 75 years and older (Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.2: The 4 Most Common Causes of Death in Males, Average Percentages and Numbers of Deaths, by Age, UK, 2007-2009

mort_causesbyage_male

Digestive=Digestive system diseases
The percentages do not add up to 100% in some age groups due to rounding. Deaths are presented for 1-14 years only because of the large numbers of deaths that occur in infants (for example, during childbirth or related to immaturity conditions or congenital anomalies). In 2007-09 there was an average of 2,101 deaths per year in males under one-years old, 17 (0.3%) of which were due to invasive cancers (C00-C97).

For females, cancer was responsible for greater percentages in both the 25-49 year olds (39% of all deaths were due to cancer) and in those aged 50-74 (47%), but a lower percentage in the elderly, with 18% of deaths in females aged 75 and over due to cancer (Figure 3.3).

Figure 3.3: The 4 Most Common Causes of Death in Females, Average Percentages and Numbers of Deaths, by Age, UK, 2007-2009

mort_causesbyage_female

Respiratory=Respiratory diseases  Nervous sys=Nervous system diseases  Digestive sys=Digestive system diseases
The percentages do not add up to 100% in some age groups due to rounding. Deaths are presented for 1-14 years only because of the large numbers of deaths that occur in infants (for example, during childbirth or related to immaturity conditions or congenital anomalies). In 2007-09 there was an average of 1,620 deaths per year in females under one-years old, 17 (0.3%) of which were due to invasive cancers (C00-C97).

section updated 30/11/11

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References for cancer mortality by age

  1.  Office for National Statistics Mortality Statistics: Deaths registered in 2009, England and Wales (PDF 798KB) 2010, National Statistics: London
  2.  General Register Office for Scotland 2010 Deaths Time Series Data, Deaths in Scotland in 2009
  3.  Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency Registrar General Annual Report 2010
  4.  Statistical Information Team, Cancer Research UK, 2011
  5.  Office for National Statistics 2011, Mortality Statistics: Deaths registered in England and Wales (Series DR), 2007-2009
  6.  General Register Office for Scotland 2011, Vital Events Reference Tables, 2007-2009.
  7.  Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency 2011, Demography - Deaths by Cause, 2007-2009