Cancer mortality for common cancers

Lung cancer is by far the most common cause of cancer death in the UK, accounting for around a fifth (21%) of all cancer deaths in females and males combined (2017-2019).[1-4] The next most common causes of cancer death in UK people are bowel (10%), prostate, (7%) and breast (7%) cancers. Though there are more than 200 types of cancer, just these four types – lung, bowel, prostate and breast – together account for almost half (45%) of all cancer deaths in the UK (2017-2019).[1-4] Two of these types occur mainly or exclusively in only one sex.

The 20 Most Common Causes of Cancer Deaths, UK, 2017-2019

Data in this chart do not sum to the all cancers combined total provided elsewhere, because 'Brain, other CNS (central nervous system) and intracranial' includes tumours that are malignant and non-malignant but only the malignant tumours are included in 'all cancers combined' total.

Lung cancer is by far the most common cause of cancer deaths in males accounting for around a fifth (21%) of all male cancer deaths (2017-2019).[1-4] The next most common causes of cancer death in UK males are prostate (14%) and bowel (10%) cancers. Lung, prostate and bowel cancers together account for nearly half (45%) of all male cancer deaths in the UK. One of the UK ten most common causes of male cancer death is sex-specific (prostate), compared with two of the ten most common in females (uterus and ovary). Bladder and head and neck cancers are among the UK ten most common causes of cancer deaths in males, but not in females.

The Three Most Common Causes of Cancer Death in Males, Percentages of All Cancer Deaths (C00-C97), UK, 2017-2019

Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

The 10 Most Common Causes of Cancer Death in Males, UK, 2017-2019

Data in this chart do not sum to the all cancers combined total provided elsewhere, because 'Brain, other CNS (central nervous system) and intracranial' includes tumours that are malignant, benign and of uncertain or unknown behaviour but only the malignant tumours are included in 'all cancers combined' total.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in UK females, accounting for around a fifth (21%) of all female cancer deaths (2017-2019).[1-4] The next most common causes of cancer death in UK females are breast cancer (15%) and bowel cancer (10%). Lung, breast and bowel cancers together account for nearly half (45%) of all female cancer deaths in the UK. Two of the UK ten most common causes of female cancer death are sex-specific (uterus and ovary), compared with just one of the ten most common in males (prostate). Breast cancer is among the UK ten most common causes of cancer death in females, but not in males.

The Three Most Common Causes of Cancer Death in Females, Percentages of All Cancer Deaths (C00-C97), UK, 2017-2019

Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

The 10 Most Common Causes of Cancer Death in Females, UK, 2017-2019

Data in this chart do not sum to the all cancers combined total provided elsewhere, because 'Brain, other CNS (central nervous system) and intracranial' includes tumours that are malignant, benign and of uncertain or unknown behaviour but only the malignant tumours are included in 'all cancers combined' total.

Mortality trends over the last decade in the UK (between 2007-2009 and 2017-2019) vary by cancer type and sex.[1-4] For most cancer types, mortality trends largely reflect changes in incidence and survival, e.g. increased incidence without sufficient survival improvement results in increased mortality.

Liver cancer has shown the fastest increase in mortality (within the current 20 most common UK causes of cancer death) over the past decade in the UK for both females and males. Liver cancer mortality rates have increased by 45% in females and 42% in males over the past decade in the UK.

The second and third fastest-increasing causes of UK cancer death are uterine cancer and gallbladder cancer for females, and non-melanoma skin cancer* and small intestine cancer for males.

Stomach cancer has shown the fastest decrease in mortality (within the current 20 most common UK causes of cancer death) over the past decade in the UK for both females and males. Stomach cancer mortality rates have decreased by 30% in females and 34% in males over the past decade in the UK.

The second and third fastest-decreasing causes of UK cancer death are cancer of unknown primary and cervical cancer for females, and cancer of unknown primary and lung cancers for males.

Pancreatic cancer and melanoma skin cancer are the only cancer types in which the mortality trend differs between the sexes (among cancer types which appear in the current 20 most common UK causes of cancer death for both sexes). In females pancreatic cancer mortality has remained stable, while in males it has increased. In females melanoma skin cancer mortality has decreased, while in males it has remained stable.

The 20 Most Common Causes of Cancer Death 2019, Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Three Year Average Mortality Rates, Females, UK, 2007-2009 and 2017-2019

The 20 Most Common Causes of Cancer Death 2019, Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Three Year Average Mortality Rates, Males, UK, 2007-2009 and 2017-2019

*Due to a coding error in England and Wales 2017 mortality data, the number of NMSC deaths is slightly inflated. The 2017 data has been omitted and a two year average is provided. Non-melanoma skin cancer data reported here are for 2007-2009 to 2018-2019.

Mortality rates are projected to fall for most types of cancer in the UK between 2014 and 2035.[1] Among cancer types with falling rates, the size of the overall decrease between 2014 and 2035 ranges from less than 1% (laryngeal cancer) to 46% (mesothelioma).

For a smaller number of cancer types, mortality rates are projected to rise in the UK between 2014 and 2035. Among cancer types with rising rates, the size of the overall increase between 2014 and 2035 ranges from 7% (thyroid cancer) to 58% (liver cancer).

These projections reflect past trends in cancer mortality. They do not model the possible impact of current or future changes which may increase or decrease cancer incidence or mortality. For HPV-related cancers (cervical, pharyngeal, anal, vulval, penile, vaginal, and oral cavity), HPV vaccination is expected to substantially decrease future incidence and therefore probably also mortality.[2,3]

Selected Cancers, Number of Deaths and European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates, Males, UK, 1979, 2014 and 2035

Selected Cancers, Number of Deathsand European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates, Females, UK, 1979, 2014 and 2035

Liver cancer has the fastest-increasing projected mortality rate in males, rising by 2% per year on average between 2015 and 2035.  For females, anus cancer has the fastest-increasing projected mortality rate, rising by 2% per year on average between 2015 and 2035.

The Five Cancers with the Highest Average Annual Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates, Males, UK, 2015-2035

The Five Cancers with the Highest Average Annual Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates, Females, UK, 2015-2035

For almost all cancer types, the number of deaths is projected to increase between 2014 and 2035. This is due to the growing and ageing population, as well as increases in incidence rates.

There are relatively few cancer types where European age-standardised mortality rates differ significantly between UK constituent countries. Such differences are often due to variation in incidence rates. Between-country variation is discussed on the types of cancer pages.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in all the UK countries, and bowel cancer is second most common.[1-3] The next most common causes of cancer death are prostate and breast cancers. The order of these causes vary between UK countries but the difference in number of deaths is often small.