Cancer in Sweden - Statistics & Facts

In 2020, cancer was the second-leading cause of death in Sweden, only causing fewer deaths than circulatory system diseases. In that year, there were over 24.8 thousand deaths due to cancer. Also known as malignant tumors or neoplasms, cancer is caused by the abnormal transformations and mutations of cells into tumors over time. The chances of a person developing cancer over the course of their life can be affected by genetic or environmental factors.

Incidence of cancer

The most common type of cancer among women in Sweden was breast cancer with almost 13 thousand cases in 2019. While the most common type among men was skin cancer (excluding malignant melanomas) with around 11.7 thousand cases. The highest number of new cases were diagnosed among those aged 65 years of age and above. Older age also increases the probability of being diagnosed with cancer due to cells being damaged over time. Therefore, the prevalence of cancer is projected to increase as many countries deal with an aging population.

Cancer survival rates

Over the previous fifteen years, the five-year survival rate from cancer in Sweden has increased from just over 61 percent in 2002 to around 73 percent in 2017. The five-year survival rate is defined as the share of people who are alive five years after their diagnosis. As of 2017, five-year survival rates among men were slightly higher compared to women. Survival rates differed quite significantly among different cancer types. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer in Sweden stood at over 90 percent as of 2017, while the rate among those diagnosed with lung cancer was just 21 percent. In Sweden, women aged between 50 and 69 years of age (as well as those aged 40 to 49 and 70 to 74 years in some counties) are regularly invited to mammography screenings which has been hailed as a chief reason for the relatively high survival rates of breast cancer in the country.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jan 10, 2024

Key insights

Number of deaths due to cancer in Sweden 2021
23,400
Most common tumor among women in Sweden 2022
Breast cancer - 13,360 cases
Most common tumor among men in Sweden 2021
Skin tumor (excluding malignant melanoma) - 13,793 cases
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

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Most common tumors among women in Sweden in 2022

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Most common tumors among women in Sweden in 2022

Most common tumors among men in Sweden in 2022

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