Healthcare
Germany Making Progress in Fight Against Cancer
New figures show that people in the country are significantly less likely to die of the disease than twenty years ago.
Feb 03, 2026
The numbers from the Federal Statistical Office show that, when adjusted for the age of the population, there were 273.5 cancer fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024. By comparison, 322.4 people per 100,000 died of the disease in 2004.
The decline in mortality rates manifested itself in almost all age groups.
The most common form of terminal cancer in Germany was lung cancer, followed by intestinal, pancreatic, breast and prostate cancer. Some 1.45 million patients were treated in hospital for the disease in 2024.
Germany has traditionally spent a lot of money treating cancer. For instance, Statista Market Insights projects turnover in cancer to reach just under EUR 8 billion in 2026 – with that figure expected to top EUR 10 billion by 2030.
