Cancer Remains Top Cause of Death in 2025, Mortality Rates for 3 Cancers Rise

(CNA, Taipei, June 22, 2025) The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the top 10 causes of death for last year, showing an overall decrease in the number of deaths for the third consecutive year. Cancer, heart disease, and pneumonia remained the top three causes. Cancer has held the top spot for 44 years, with the ranking unchanged from the previous year, but mortality rates for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer have increased.

The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) today released the 2025 statistics on the top 10 causes of death for Taiwanese citizens. Lu Shu-chun, section chief of the DGBAS, explained during a briefing that the number of deaths in 2025 was 199,576, a decrease of 1,807 people compared to 2024. The mortality rate was 854.7 per 100,000 population, a decrease of 0.6%.

Lu Shu-chun pointed out that the top 10 causes of death in 2025, in order, were cancer, heart disease, pneumonia, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, hypertensive diseases, accidents and injuries, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephropathy, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and intentional self-harm.

Compared to the previous year, only nephritis and chronic lower respiratory diseases swapped positions at 8th and 9th place, with the rest remaining unchanged. "Suicide," which returned to the top 10 causes of death last year, remained in 10th place this year. Additionally, COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) dropped from 14th place in 2024 to 19th place.

Cancer, heart disease, and pneumonia continued to hold the top three positions. Lu Shu-chun noted that among various cancers, lung cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancer have ranked in the top three for 22 consecutive years. For the top 10 cancers, the standardized mortality rates for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer increased compared to 2024, while the rest decreased.

Lu Shu-chun stated that in 2025, the number of cancer deaths was 54,838. The mortality rate per 100,000 population due to cancer was 234.9, and the standardized mortality rate was 111.5 per 100,000 population, a decrease from 113.3 in 2024.

The top 10 causes of cancer death remained the same as the previous year. Lu Shu-chun explained the order based on mortality rate: trachea, bronchus, and lung cancer; liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer; colon, rectum, and anus cancer; female breast cancer; prostate cancer; oral cancer; pancreatic cancer; stomach cancer; esophageal cancer; and ovarian cancer.

Among cancers that can be screened, Lu Shu-chun indicated that the standardized mortality rates for female breast cancer, oral cancer, and stomach cancer decreased compared to 2024, while colorectal cancer remained flat, and lung cancer and cervical cancer increased. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 20250622

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