Cancer and cardiovascular diseases remain leading causes of death in France

Tuesday 23 June 2026 - 09:15

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases remained the leading causes of death in France in 2024, according to an annual public health report released by national research institutions, highlighting ongoing but uneven progress in reducing overall mortality.

The study, compiled by experts from Santé publique France, Inserm and the DREES statistical agency, recorded more than 641,000 deaths during the year. It found that cancer-related illnesses accounted for 27.1% of all deaths, while cardiovascular diseases were responsible for 21.2%, meaning that nearly half of all mortality in the country was linked to these two major disease groups.

Gradual decline in mortality rates

Researchers noted that overall mortality rates continue to decline in the long term, reaching historically low levels when adjusted for population size. However, the report cautions that current figures remain higher than those projected if pre-pandemic trends from 2012–2019 or 2015–2019 had continued uninterrupted.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a sharp increase in deaths in the early 2020s, continues to influence mortality patterns even as its direct impact diminishes.

Diverging trends across diseases

While cancer mortality is generally decreasing, the report highlights exceptions. Deaths linked to pancreatic cancer continue to rise, and lung, bronchial, and tracheal cancers among women are also increasing, reflecting evolving risk factors such as smoking patterns and late diagnoses.

The analysis also notes that cancer patients tend to die at a younger average age compared with the overall mortality profile, underscoring the long-term social and economic impact of the disease.

Respiratory diseases on the rise

Respiratory illnesses represent a growing share of deaths, accounting for 8.2% of total mortality in 2024. This category excludes COVID-19-related deaths, which have continued to decline.

Researchers attribute the increase largely to a severe influenza season in 2024–2025, characterized by an early onset and a peak in mid-January 2025. The seasonal flu wave significantly contributed to excess mortality linked to respiratory complications.

Early Outlook for 2025

Preliminary data for 2025 suggests broadly similar trends, with slight declines in deaths linked to both cancer and cardiovascular conditions. However, researchers emphasize that these early figures remain provisional and subject to methodological adjustments.

Overall, the findings underscore both progress in medical care and prevention, and the continued public health challenge posed by chronic diseases, which remain the dominant drivers of mortality in modern France.