New official statistics from the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU) show that cancer remains the leading cause of mortality in Wales, accounting for a quarter of all deaths in 2024. 

Lung, bowel, prostate and female breast cancers accounted for four in ten cancer deaths (43%) in 2024. 

Lung cancer alone accounts for two in ten cancer deaths (19%), although lung cancer mortality has declined steadily among men over the past two decades. However, mortality among women has remained largely unchanged, reflecting the complex interaction between historical smoking patterns, late-stage diagnoses, and improved survival rates. 

Cancer mortality rates remain higher in the most deprived areas of Wales compared to the least deprived areas in Wales, with no real improvements over the reported period. The rate was 52% higher in the most deprived areas in 2024. 

Over half of all cancer deaths in Wales are in people aged 75 and over. This has been steadily rising from 48% in 2002 to 57% in 2024, as the population of Wales becomes more elderly. 

The picture of cancer mortality post-pandemic is still unclear. The lasting effects of the pandemic – especially among those now presenting with more advanced disease — may continue to influence mortality trends in the coming years, which we will keep monitoring and reporting on. 

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