Incidence and mortality estimates
ECIS displays national incidence and mortality estimates for the year 2024 in the European Union (EU-27), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and selected other European countries. Estimates for Russia and Belarus are not included, in line with the EU's suspension of scientific cooperation with the Russian Federation.
ECIS estimates are the result of a collaborative project involving the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR), and the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR).
Incidence estimates are based on historical incidence data from cancer registries participating in ECIS and Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, volume XII. Mortality estimates are based on mortality data extracted from WHO mortality database, EUROSTAT, or provided directly by cancer registries.
A standard estimation method was applied, as described in Dyba et al., 2021 for the 2020 estimates and subsequently updated for the year 2024 (pdf).
ECIS estimates are calculated to fill the time lag until observed national data for recent years become available. These figures may differ from observed data or estimates produced by national authorities due to variations in data sources and estimation methods. Variations in estimates across countries can be influenced by several factors, including lifestyle and environmental risk factors, prevention and care strategies, population-based screening, or data registration coverage and completeness, which are not explicitly included in the estimation models.
For the cancer entities and corresponding definitions used, please refer the list of estimates' cancer entities.
Long-term estimates
ECIS displays long-term estimates of incidence and mortality in countries from the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) for the years 2025, 2030, 2035, and 2040.
The long-term estimates are based on the projected 2022 incidence and mortality rates and the projected populations up to year 2040 from EUROSTAT. The projected populations are available for EU and EFTA countries and for six different demographic scenarios covering possible fertility, mortality, and migration developments: i) Lower fertility - fertility rates 20% lower; ii) Lower mortality - life expectancy at birth +2 years by 2070; iii) Lower migration - net migration -33%; iv) Higher migration - net migration +33%; and v) No migration - net migration set to 0.
The long-term estimates are computed to evaluate the impact of population ageing in these European countries, under the assumption that 2022 cancer incidence and mortality levels remain constant in the coming decades.
The long-term estimates should be interpreted with caution. They assume that estimated 2022 incidence and mortality rates remain stable up to 2040, thus reflecting only changes in population. This assumption is probably not realistic, as incidence and mortality rates are strongly affected by factors evolving in time, such as prevalence and distribution of cancer risk factors, establishment of cancer control plans, implementation of screening programs and others. For such reason, long-term estimates express only the strong impact of population ageing on the cancer burden in these European countries over the next decades.
For the cancer entities and corresponding definitions used, please refer to the list of estimates' cancer entities (pdf).
Historical incidence and mortality
ECIS historical incidence data are provided by population-based cancer registries affiliated to the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR). ECIS historical mortality data derive from official national statistical offices or from EUROSTAT.
The ECIS web application includes incidence and mortality indicators - by cancer entity, sex, age group, calendar period, and geographic area - computed from data submitted by 127 population-based cancer registries from 32 European countries by March 2025. These indicators are produced in close collaboration with ENCR registries and their representative body, the ENCR Steering Committee.
For the registries contributing and the corresponding incidence and mortality time period, please refer to the map here below and to the list of cancer registries for historical data.
For the cancer entities and corresponding definitions used, please refer to the list of cancer entities for historical data.
Historical childhood incidence
ECIS reports historical incidence indicators for the childhood population across European countries, from data provided by 96 population-based registries (85 all-ages and 11 childhood-specific) from 31 European countries affiliated to the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR). These indicators are produced in close collaboration with the ENCR cancer registries and their representative body, the ENCR Steering Committee.
ECIS includes childhood incidence indicators given by diagnostic group (according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, third edition, ICCC3), age group, calendar period, and geographic area, for both sexes combined. The indicators are provided for a minimum of 3-year period. If cancer registry data are available for less than 3 years over the selected calendar period, the corresponding values are not displayed.
For the registries contributing with the corresponding incidence and mortality time period, please refer to the list of cancer registries for childhood data. In the Database description section further information on the data included is available.
For the ICCC3 diagnostic groups used, please refer to the list of diagnostic groups for childhood data.
The EUROCARE study
The EUROpean CAncer REgistry (EUROCARE) project is the widest collaborative research project on population-based cancer survival and prevalence in Europe. The aim of the EUROCARE project is to provide an updated description of cancer survival time trends and differences across European countries, measure cancer prevalence, and project patterns of care of cancer patients.
Survival (EUROCARE-5)
Survival estimates displayed in ECIS derive from the EUROCARE-5 project, reporting on cancer survival in Europe in 1999–2007. Overall, the EUROCARE-5 project includes data on more than 21 million cancer diagnoses provided by 99 cancer registries in 26 European countries.
For the registries participating, please refer to the list of EUROCARE-5 survival project’s cancer registries (pdf).
For the cancer entities and corresponding definitions used, please refer to the list of cancer entities for the EUROCARE-5 survival project (pdf).
Prevalence (EUROCARE-6)
Prevalence estimates displayed in ECIS derive from the EUROCARE-6 project, reporting on cancer prevalence in Europe to 2020. Overall, the EUROCARE-6 project includes data on about 28 million cancer diagnoses provided by 117 Cancer Registries in 31 European countries (see the details of data and methods, pdf).
For the registries participating and details of data and methods, please refer to the list of EUROCARE-6 prevalence project’s cancer registries (pdf).
For the cancer entities and corresponding definitions used, please refer to the list of cancer entities for the EUROCARE-6 prevalence project (pdf).