Cancer mortality by age

Mortality rates are strongly related to age for all cancers combined, with the highest mortality rates being in older people. In the UK in 2016-2018, on average each year more than half (54%) of deaths were in people aged 75 and over.[1-3] This largely reflects higher incidence and lower survival for all cancers combined in older people.

Age-specific mortality rates rates rise steadily from around age 45-49 and more steeply from around age 70-74. The highest rates are in the 90+ age group for females and males. Mortality rates are significantly higher in females than males in the 30-49 age groups and significantly lower in females than males in the older age groups.The gap is widest at age 90+, when the age-specific mortality rate is 1.9 times lower in females than males.

All Cancers Combined (C00-C97), Average Number of Deaths per Year and Age-Specific Mortality Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2016-2018

95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits  around the AS Rate

Children aged 0-14, and teenagers and young adults aged 15-24, each account for less than one per cent of all cancer deaths in the UK, with slightly more deaths in males than females in both age groups (2016-2018).[1-3]

Adults aged 25-49 contribute around 5 in 100 (4%) of all cancer deaths, with slightly fewer deaths in males than females in this age group.[1-3] Adults aged 50-74 account for more than 4 in 10 (42%) of all cancer deaths, and elderly people aged 75+ account for more than half (54%), with slightly more deaths in males than females in both age groups

The five most common causes of cancer death in males varies considerably by age group, with particular differences in the cancer types diagnosed in children and young people, compared with the types diagnosed in older people.[1-3]

The Five Most Common Causes of Cancer Death in Males, Number of Deaths, by Age, UK, 2016-2018

More than half (53% in 2016-2018) of all male cancer deaths in the UK each year occur in the elderly aged 75+. A further 43% occur in male adults aged 50-74 and 3% occur in males aged 25-49. Boys (aged 0-14), and male young people (aged 15-24), each account for less than 1% of all male cancer deaths in the UK each year.[1-3]

In boys aged 0-14 in the UK, brain, other central nervous system and intracranial tumours are the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for more than a third (36%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In male young people aged 15-24 in the UK, leukaemia is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for more than a fifth (22%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In males aged 25-49 in the UK, brain, other central nervous system and intracranial tumours are the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for almost three in twenty (13%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In males aged 50-74 in the UK, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for around a quarter (24%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In males aged 75+ in the UK, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for around a fifth (19%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

The five most common causes of cancer death in females varies considerably by age group, with particular differences in the cancer types diagnosed in children and young people, compared with the types diagnosed in older people.[1-3]

The Five Most Common Causes of Cancer Death in Females, Number of Deaths, by Age, UK, 2016-2018

More than half (54% in 2016-2018) of all female cancer deaths in the UK each year occur in the elderly aged 75+. A further 41% occur in female adults aged 50-74 and 4% occur in females aged 25-49. Girls (aged 0-14), and female young people (aged 15-24), each account for less than 1% of all female cancer deaths in the UK each year.[1-3]

In girls aged 0-14 in the UK, brain, other central nervous system and intracranial tumours are the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for around a third (34%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In female young people aged 15-24 in the UK, brain, other central nervous system and intracranial tumours are the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for around a fifth (21%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In females aged 25-49 in the UK, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for almost a third (31%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In females aged 50-74 in the UK, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for a quarter (25%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

In females aged 75+ in the UK, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for around a fifth (19%) of all cancer deaths in this group in 2016-2018.[1-3]

All cancers combined mortality rates have decreased overall in most broad age groups in females and males combined in the UK since the early 1970s.[1-3] Rates in 0-24s have decreased by 63%, in 25-49s have decreased by 53%, in 50-74s have decreased by 36%, in 75+s have increased by 14%.

All Cancers (C00-97), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates per 100,000 Population, By Age, UK, 1971-2018