EU cancer estimates for 2020 reveal 2.7 million new cases
The European Joint Research Council (JRC) released its 2020 burden of cancer estimates on 22 July, 2020. The report revealed The cancer burden is estimated to have risen to 2.7 million new cases (all types, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) and 1.3 million deaths in 2020. Female breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed.
Key findings:
- Over 355,000 women in the EU-27 are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 (13.3% of all cancer diagnoses). This is followed by colorectal (341,000, 12.7%), prostate (336,000, 12.5%) and lung cancer (318,000, 11.9%).
- The most common causes of death are from cancers of the lung (20.4% of all cancer deaths), followed by colorectal (12.4%), female breast (7.3%) and pancreatic cancer (7.1%).
- Cancer mortality rates for all cancers combined are higher in Eastern European countries.
- 62% of estimated new diagnoses and 76% of estimated deaths occur in people over 65 years old.
The JRC says that the impacts of COVID-19 on cancer rates are as yet unclear as estimates are based on the previous year’s reporting. It does note however reports of delays and postponements of screening and testing services in many EU countries.
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