Cervical cancer mortality statistics

Deaths

Deaths from cervical cancer, 2017-2019, UK.

Percentage of all deaths

Percentage cervical cancer contributes to total cancer deaths, 2017-2019, UK

 

Age

Peak mortality rate for cervical cancer, 2017-2019, UK

Trend over time

Change in cervical cancer mortality rates since the early 1970s, Females, UK

Cervical cancer is the 19th most common cause of cancer death in females in the UK, accounting for 1% of all cancer deaths in females (2017-2019). In females and males combined, cervical cancer is not among the 20 most common causes of cancer death in the UK, accounting for less than 1% of all cancer deaths (2017-2019).[1-4]

Cervical cancer mortality rates (European age-standardised Open a glossary item (AS) rates) for females are significantly higher than the UK average in Scotland and Wales, and similar to the UK average in all other UK constituent countries.

For cervical cancer, mortality differences between countries largely reflect differences in incidence.

Cervical Cancer (C53), Annual Average Number of Deaths, Crude and European Age-Standardised (AS) Mortality Rates per 100,000 Female Population, UK, 2017-2019

  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland UK
Female Deaths 685 95 52 21 853
Crude Rate 2.4 3.4 3.3 2.2 2.5
AS Rate 2.4 3.3 3.2 2.4 2.6
AS Rate - 95% LCL 2.3 3.0 2.7 1.8 2.5
AS Rate - 95% UCL 2.6 3.7 3.7 2.9 2.7
Persons Deaths 685 95 52 21 853
Crude Rate 1.2 1.7 1.7 1.1 1.3
AS Rate 1.3 1.8 1.7 1.2 1.3
AS Rate - 95% LCL 1.2 1.6 1.4 0.9 1.3
AS Rate - 95% UCL 1.3 2.0 1.9 1.5 1.4

95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits around the AS Rate Open a glossary item

References

  1. England and Wales data were accessed from Nomis mortality statistics by underlying cause, sex and age, November 2021: Nomis mortality statistics by underlying cause, sex and age.
  2. Scotland data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, November 2021. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/index.asp(link is external).
  3. Northern Ireland data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, February 2022. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.
  4. Population data were published by the Office for National statistics, accessed July 2020. The data can be found here: Population estimates for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, provisional: mid-2019.

About this data

Data is for UK, 2017-2019, C53.

Last reviewed:

Cervical cancer mortality is related to age, with the highest mortality rates being in older women. In the UK in 2017-2019, on average each year more than a quarter of deaths (28%) were in females aged 75 and over.[1-4] This is a lower proportion of deaths in older age groups compared with most cancers.

Age-specific mortality rates rise steadily from around age 20-24 and more steeply from around age 65-69. The highest rates are in the 90+ age group.

Cervical Cancer (C53), Average Number of Deaths per Year and Age-Specific Mortality Rates per 100,000 Female Population, UK, 2017-2019

References

  1. England and Wales data were accessed from Nomis mortality statistics by underlying cause, sex and age, November 2021: Nomis mortality statistics by underlying cause, sex and age.
  2. Scotland data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, November 2021. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/index.asp(link is external).
  3. Northern Ireland data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, February 2022. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.
  4. Population data were published by the Office for National statistics, accessed July 2020. The data can be found here: Population estimates for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, provisional: mid-2019.

About this data

Data is for UK, 2017-2019, ICD-10 C53.

Last reviewed:

Cervical cancer age-standardised (AS) Open a glossary item rates for females decreased by 75% in the UK between 1971-1973 and 2017-2019.

Over the last decade in the UK (between 2007-2009 and 2017-2019), cervical cancer AS mortality rates for females decreased by 18%.

Cervical Cancer (C53), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates per 100,000 Female Population, UK, 1971-2019

For most cancer types, mortality trends largely reflect incidence and survival trends. For example, rising mortality may reflect rising incidence and stable survival, while falling mortality may reflect rising incidence and rising survival.

Cervical cancer mortality rates have varied between age groups in females in the UK since the early 1970s.[1-4] Rates in 0-19s have remained stable, in 20-24s have remained stable, in 25-34s have remained stable, in 35-49s have decreased by 66%, in 50-64s have decreased by 82%, in 65-79s have decreased by 78% and in 80+s have decreased by 68%.

Cervical Cancer (C53), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates per 100,000 Female Population, By Age, UK, 1971-2019

References

  1. England and Wales data were accessed from Nomis mortality statistics by underlying cause, sex and age, November 2021: Nomis mortality statistics by underlying cause, sex and age.
  2. Scotland data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, November 2021. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/index.asp(link is external).
  3. Northern Ireland data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, February 2022. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.
  4. Population data were published by the Office for National statistics, accessed July 2020. The data can be found here: Population estimates for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, provisional: mid-2019.

About this data

Data is for UK, 1971-2019, C53.

Cancers in children and young people (aged 0-24) are best classified using a different system to cancers in adults, so the figures presented here may not correspond with those elsewhere.

Last reviewed:

Projections of cervical cancer mortality are complex because there are many variables involved, including changing uptake and format of cervical screening and HPV vaccinations. Projections which reflect past trends in cancer mortality suggest that cervical cancer mortality will fall slightly in future decades.[1] These projections do not model the possible impact of HPV vaccination on cervical cancer incidence rates, and the subsequent impact on mortality rates. If cervical cancer incidence rates fall markedly in future decades as projected,[2] cervical cancer mortality rates may also fall more markedly than projections based on past trends would suggest.

Last reviewed:

There is evidence for a strong association between cervical cancer mortality and deprivation in England.[1] European age-standardised Open a glossary item  mortality rates are 148% higher for females living in the most deprived areas in England compared with the least deprived, as shown for cervical cancer deaths during 2007-2011.[1]

Cervical Cancer (C53), European Age-Standardised Mortality Rates by Deprivation Quintile, Females, England, 2007-2011

The estimated deprivation gradient in cervical cancer mortality between females living in the most and least deprived areas in England has not changed in the period 2002-2011.[1] It is estimated that there would have been around 250 fewer cervical cancer deaths each year in England during 2007-2011 if all females experienced the same mortality rates as the least deprived.[1]

References

  1. Cancer Research UK and National Cancer Intelligence Network. Cancer by deprivation in England: Incidence, 1996-2010, Mortality, 1997-2011. London: NCIN; 2014.

About this data

Data is for: UK, 2007-2011, ICD-10 C53

Deprivation gradient statistics were calculated using mortality data for 2007-2011. The deprivation quintiles were calculated using the Income domain scores from the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) from the following years: 2004, 2007 and 2010. Full details on the data and methodology can be found in the Cancer by Deprivation in England NCIN report.

Last reviewed:

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