Cancer

More than one in five persons develops a cancer before the age of 70. Cancer is the main cause of premature mortality. One in sixteen persons is hospitalised because of a cancer.

Cancer

2020

 Men

Women

 Cancer epidemiology

Number of new cases1

25 411

20 838

Incidence rate²

423.1

327.9

Cumulative risk before age 70, as a %

23.8

20.1

Number of deaths from cancer

9 224

7 706

Share of all causes of death, as a %

24.5

20.0

Mortality rate²

138.1

96.2

Number of YPLL³ by cancer

26 708

25 041

Share of all YPLL, in %

26.2

44.1

Hospitalisations with primary diagnosis of cancer

 

Number of hospitalised patients

33 183

29 088

Share of all hospitalised patients, in %

7.4

5.5

1 New cases estimated on the basis of cancer registry data, excl. non-melanoma skin cancer
2 Rate per 100,000 inhabitants, European standard
3 Years of potential life lost (YPLL) before age 70
Source: FSO, NACR, CCR

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Switzerland. It even represents the most common cause of death for men aged between 45 and 84 and for women aged between 25 and 84.

Cancer can occur at any age but the risk increases with age. From 2011‑2015 and 2016‑2020, the number of new cancer cases and that of deaths caused by cancer increased among both men and women, however, considering the ageing of the population, the standardised incidence rates have remained similar. Standardised mortality rates have been falling for a longer period of time.

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Federal Statistical Office Sections Health Services, Population Health
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CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
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