Mouth and throat cancer deaths in the UK
ONS figures give 3,371 deaths from Malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity and pharynx (ICD-10 C00 to C14) registered in England and Wales in 2025. That was 49 more than in 2024 (3,322). It is the highest yearly figure since 2001.
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 5.5 per 100,000 people in 2025, 27.9% higher than in 2013 (4.3). For men it was 8.3 and for women 2.9.
Men accounted for 2,386 of the 2025 deaths and women for 985.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,371 | 2,386 | 985 | 5.5 |
| 2024 | 3,322 | 2,234 | 1,088 | 5.5 |
| 2023 | 3,331 | 2,255 | 1,076 | 5.6 |
| 2022 | 3,220 | 2,184 | 1,036 | 5.5 |
| 2021 | 2,958 | 2,085 | 873 | 5.1 |
| 2020 | 2,851 | 1,923 | 928 | 5.0 |
| 2019 | 2,751 | 1,899 | 852 | 4.9 |
| 2018 | 2,609 | 1,775 | 834 | 4.7 |
| 2017 | 2,616 | 1,800 | 816 | 4.8 |
| 2016 | 2,582 | 1,742 | 840 | 4.8 |
| 2015 | 2,418 | 1,639 | 779 | 4.5 |
| 2014 | 2,345 | 1,579 | 766 | 4.5 |
| 2013 | 2,232 | 1,474 | 758 | 4.3 |
| 2012 | 2,079 | 1,408 | 671 | – |
| 2011 | 2,011 | 1,303 | 708 | – |
| 2010 | 1,975 | 1,312 | 663 | – |
| 2009 | 1,922 | 1,253 | 669 | – |
| 2008 | 1,815 | 1,140 | 675 | – |
| 2007 | 1,814 | 1,237 | 577 | – |
| 2006 | 1,699 | 1,092 | 607 | – |
| 2005 | 1,709 | 1,119 | 590 | – |
| 2004 | 1,720 | 1,137 | 583 | – |
| 2003 | 1,599 | 1,011 | 588 | – |
| 2002 | 1,703 | 1,101 | 602 | – |
| 2001 | 1,694 | 1,097 | 597 | – |
Age at death
Of the 3,371 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 38.7% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 1,005, was in the 65 to 74 age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2001: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 to 44 | 66 | 45 | 21 | 58 |
| 45 to 64 | 997 | 747 | 250 | 640 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,005 | 758 | 247 | 425 |
| 75 to 84 | 883 | 603 | 280 | 381 |
| 85 and over | 420 | 233 | 187 | 189 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 414 deaths from this cause in 2024 (283 men, 131 women). In 2011 the figure was 310.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 414 | 283 | 131 |
| 2023 | 423 | 281 | 142 |
| 2022 | 398 | 270 | 128 |
| 2021 | 381 | 253 | 128 |
| 2020 | 369 | 254 | 115 |
| 2019 | 427 | 296 | 131 |
| 2018 | 349 | 241 | 108 |
| 2017 | 380 | 268 | 112 |
| 2016 | 358 | 239 | 119 |
| 2015 | 311 | 204 | 107 |
| 2014 | 308 | 206 | 102 |
| 2013 | 324 | 219 | 105 |
| 2012 | 315 | 209 | 106 |
| 2011 | 310 | 212 | 98 |
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 88 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 90 in 2014.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88 | 59 | 29 |
| 2023 | 115 | 67 | 48 |
| 2022 | 94 | 64 | 30 |
| 2021 | 107 | 74 | 33 |
| 2020 | 108 | 73 | 35 |
| 2019 | 103 | 78 | 25 |
| 2018 | 104 | 69 | 35 |
| 2017 | 94 | 56 | 38 |
| 2016 | 90 | 59 | 31 |
| 2015 | 111 | 84 | 27 |
| 2014 | 90 | 66 | 24 |
NHS figures for England
New cancer cases (England)
OHID's Fingertips tool gives “Oral cancer registrations” as 15.4 per 100,000 in England for 2017 - 19, covering 24,115 new cases. The first figure in the series, for 2007 - 09, was 12.0 per 100,000.
| Period | per 100,000 | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 - 19 | 15.4 per 100,000 | 24,115 |
| 2016 - 18 | 15.1 per 100,000 | 23,246 |
| 2015 - 17 | 14.6 per 100,000 | 22,209 |
| 2014 - 16 | 14.5 per 100,000 | 21,724 |
| 2013 - 15 | 14.3 per 100,000 | 21,124 |
| 2012 - 14 | 14.1 per 100,000 | 20,454 |
| 2011 - 13 | 13.7 per 100,000 | 19,681 |
| 2010 - 12 | 13.3 per 100,000 | 18,842 |
| 2009 - 11 | 12.9 per 100,000 | 17,985 |
| 2008 - 10 | 12.6 per 100,000 | 17,335 |
| 2007 - 09 | 12.0 per 100,000 | 16,283 |
Source: OHID Fingertips, indicator 1206 (NHS England) · data read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 f6c855f1345698fe…
How the figures are defined
Each death is counted once, under its underlying cause: the disease or injury that started the chain of events leading to death, as certified by a doctor or coroner and coded by the ONS to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). This page uses the ONS grouping “Malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity and pharynx”, codes C00 to C14. Other conditions mentioned on a death certificate are not counted here.
How deaths are registered and counted, how the age-standardised rate works and where the ONS series has breaks is set out under how these figures are compiled.
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More in cancer
Sources and receipts
ONS mortality extracts for codes C00 to C14, with SHA-256 fingerprints; the ONS, NRS and NISRA workbooks are listed with the other sources.
- Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
1b8615d403b1044a…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
465b45e5340d0968…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
c9ec265e79c31201…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
858d15e0ca75abc9…· publisher's page
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