3 in 10 deaths caused by cancer

Causes of death vary strongly per age group. In 2018, fewer than 2 thousand people between the ages of 15 and 40 passed away. 44 percent of these deaths were related to non-natural causes such as accidents, suicides and homicide. At 45 percent, cancer was the largest cause of mortality among 40 to 79-year-olds. Mortality due to cardiovascular diseases was highest among people over the age of 80, while 5 percent of last year’s deaths among the over-85s were caused by a fall.

Cancer mortality higher among men than women

Relatively more men than women die from cancer. However, women are more likely to die from mental disorders or diseases of the nervous system, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is largely attributable to the fact that women die at a later age than men on average.