Cancer Death Rates: Good and Bad News for Under 50s

By Amber Dixon 25/08/2026 2 min read 10 views

Cancer death rates among Canadians under 50 have shown a complex trend over the last 25 years, with public health researchers reporting a decline in mortality for nine of the top ten deadliest cancers. Epidemiologists reviewed anonymized records from Statistics Canada to analyze deaths between 2000 and 2024, finding that while lung cancer, melanoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths have dropped, colorectal cancer fatalities are on the rise. The study, published in August 2026 in JAMA Network Open, examined the ten cancers with the highest mortality rates to assess the impact of prevention efforts and new treatments.

The most significant progress is seen in lung cancer mortality, which has fallen by an average of 6.2% annually since 2000. This marks a drop in death rates per 100,000 people, moving from 778 deaths in 2000 to just 190 in 2024. The decline is largely attributed to reduced tobacco smoking.

Deaths from non-Hodgkin lymphoma have also decreased steadily, falling by 4.5% each year. In 2024, melanoma deaths per 100,000 people were 68, compared to 142 in 2000. Melanoma deaths have slowed by 3.6% annually since 2000.

While breast cancer deaths have also declined—dropping since 2000—this figure represents a smaller percentage change than the other major drops. Breast cancer has the second-highest mortality rate for women, meaning a decline affects a large number of individuals.

Stable and Rising Rates

For some cancers, mortality rates have remained relatively stable. Deaths from brain cancer have decreased by 1% annually, while stomach cancer deaths have fallen by 1.6% per year. However, cervical and pancreatic cancer deaths have not declined, a challenge researchers attribute to the difficulty in detecting these cancers and diagnosing them at later stages.

The most worrying trend is the increase in colorectal cancer deaths among adults aged 20 to 49. These deaths have risen by 1.1% annually since 2000, with the rate per 100,000 people increasing. The rise is not due to a shift in the proportion of deaths caused by different cancers, but rather an absolute increase in cases. While screening often begins at age 45, some experts argue it should start earlier given the increasing incidence of the disease in younger adults.