Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Cancer in Germany - Statistics & Facts
Germany is at the top of the ranking in Europe when it comes to the number of people diagnosed and dying from cancer. However, absolute numbers are high compared to other EU countries given that Germany is the most populous country in the EU. Indeed, when looking at the incidence, meaning the number of cases per 100,000 population, Germany is below the median. Among the different types of cancer, breast cancer had the highest incidence in Germany in 2022. At that time, about 150 women per 100,000 population were diagnosed with breast cancer, with roughly 75,300 cases. Prostate and colorectum followed as the type of cancers with the highest number of new cases in 2022, with 65,300 and 62,500 cases, respectively. The types of cancers affecting children often are different from the ones affecting adults. For example, lymphoid leukemias were the most common type of cancer among children of both genders, with a 10-year survival rate of roughly 90 percent.
Cancer deaths
In 2022, lung and bronchial cancer was the type of cancer causing the highest number of deaths in Germany, with over 45,000 deaths. That year, this type of cancer was also the fourth leading cause of death in Germany among males and the seventh among females. The number of males in Germany who died from cancer in 2021 was higher than the number for females, with 123,292 deaths for males, versus 104,598 deaths among females. The median age at death from cancer was higher among females at 78 years, while for males it was three years lower.Breast cancer screening and oncology drugs
Women aged between 50 and 69 years in Germany are eligible for a free mammogram aimed to detect breast cancer every two years. In 2021, almost 5.9 million women were invited for breast cancer screening across the country. Among them, almost 3.1 million were screened that year. In case of suspicious findings after the first screening, women are invited to further testing. In 2021, 18,837 women in Germany discovered they had cancer after the bi-yearly breast cancer screening. As of 2023, Germany is the European country with the biggest share of oncology medicines approved by the EMA available to patients. It is also at the front line when it comes to oncology drug development and its estimated revenue for oncology drugs stands at over seven billion euros in 2024, which is expected to reach around 12 billion euros by 2028. These figures are only lower than the revenues recorded by the United States, China, and Japan.
