Tumours the Leading Cause of Death in Luxembourg, Average 12 Deaths Daily

On Wednesday 29 January 2025, Luxembourg's Ministry of Health and Social Security confirmed that, in 2023, tumours were the leading cause of death in Luxembourg ahead of circulatory system diseases.

In 2023, the register of causes of death of the Health Directorate recorded 4,258 deaths across the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, including 2,054 men and 2,204 women, a decrease of 25 deaths compared to the previous year. The average age at the time of death is 75 years for men and 81 years for women. In addition, the register of causes of death recorded 80 stillbirths in 2023, compared to 71 in 2022, these figures not being included in the total number of deaths.

On average, twelve deaths were recorded per day, or 82 per week and 355 per month. January 2023 was the month with the highest number of deaths, with 447, while July had the lowest number, with 301 deaths.

Regarding the causes, 93.6% of deaths were related to natural deaths due to various pathologies, compared to 6.4% attributed to external causes. More than half of the deaths (53.3%) occurred in hospital, 26.8% in retirement homes, 17.1% at home and 2.8% in other places.

In Luxembourg, the main causes of death remain tumours and circulatory system diseases

In 2023, tumours remained the leading cause of mortality in Luxembourg, followed by circulatory system diseases. Together, these two causes of death represent 51.8% of deaths in Luxembourg (compared to 51.5% in 2022).

Tumours, the leading cause of death, were responsible for 1,105 deaths (533 women and 572 men), or 25.9% of all deaths (1,099 deaths in 2022, or 25.7%). In men, lung cancer accounted for the highest number of deaths, with 113 in 2023, followed by prostate cancer (52 deaths), pancreatic cancer (38 deaths) and liver or intrahepatic bile duct cancer (38 deaths). In women, breast cancer remains the leading cause of death related to cancer, with 82 deaths, followed by lung cancer (71 deaths) and pancreatic cancer (46 deaths).

Circulatory system diseases, the second leading cause of death, were responsible for 1,100 deaths (592 women and 508 men), or 25.8% of total deaths (1,104 in 2022, or also 25.8%).

Respiratory system diseases came in third, followed by external causes, mental and behavioural disorders, and nervous system diseases, representing 9.3%, 6.5%, 6.4% and 5.1% of deaths, respectively.