Oesophageal cancer deaths in the UK
In 2025, 6,849 deaths registered in England and Wales had Malignant neoplasm of oesophagus (ICD-10 C15) as the underlying cause, according to the Office for National Statistics. That was 80 fewer than in 2024 (6,929). The highest yearly figure since 2001 was 7,161 in 2019; the lowest was 6,137 in 2001.
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 10.9 per 100,000 people in 2025, 17.4% lower than in 2013 (13.2). For men it was 16.7 and for women 5.9.
In 2025, 4,811 of the deaths were of men and 2,038 of women.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,849 | 4,811 | 2,038 | 10.9 |
| 2024 | 6,929 | 4,880 | 2,049 | 11.3 |
| 2023 | 6,783 | 4,761 | 2,022 | 11.3 |
| 2022 | 7,009 | 4,913 | 2,096 | 11.8 |
| 2021 | 6,876 | 4,838 | 2,038 | 11.8 |
| 2020 | 6,952 | 4,971 | 1,981 | 12.2 |
| 2019 | 7,161 | 4,889 | 2,272 | 12.6 |
| 2018 | 7,008 | 4,874 | 2,134 | 12.7 |
| 2017 | 6,905 | 4,812 | 2,093 | 12.6 |
| 2016 | 6,972 | 4,789 | 2,183 | 13.0 |
| 2015 | 6,968 | 4,794 | 2,174 | 13.2 |
| 2014 | 6,754 | 4,551 | 2,203 | 12.9 |
| 2013 | 6,753 | 4,620 | 2,133 | 13.2 |
| 2012 | 6,733 | 4,603 | 2,130 | – |
| 2011 | 6,635 | 4,488 | 2,147 | – |
| 2010 | 6,649 | 4,484 | 2,165 | – |
| 2009 | 6,645 | 4,474 | 2,171 | – |
| 2008 | 6,609 | 4,399 | 2,210 | – |
| 2007 | 6,424 | 4,225 | 2,199 | – |
| 2006 | 6,495 | 4,268 | 2,227 | – |
| 2005 | 6,466 | 4,246 | 2,220 | – |
| 2004 | 6,299 | 4,069 | 2,230 | – |
| 2003 | 6,424 | 4,138 | 2,286 | – |
| 2002 | 6,332 | 4,008 | 2,324 | – |
| 2001 | 6,137 | 3,915 | 2,222 | – |
Age at death
Of the 6,849 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 53.6% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 2,489, was in the 75 to 84 age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2001: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 to 44 | 61 | 42 | 19 | 84 |
| 45 to 64 | 1,307 | 1,025 | 282 | 1,395 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,813 | 1,349 | 464 | 1,675 |
| 75 to 84 | 2,489 | 1,720 | 769 | 2,063 |
| 85 and over | 1,179 | 675 | 504 | 920 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 802 deaths from this cause in 2024 (557 men, 245 women). In 2011 the figure was 824.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 802 | 557 | 245 |
| 2023 | 845 | 552 | 293 |
| 2022 | 890 | 600 | 290 |
| 2021 | 842 | 577 | 265 |
| 2020 | 840 | 550 | 290 |
| 2019 | 833 | 526 | 307 |
| 2018 | 873 | 584 | 289 |
| 2017 | 833 | 555 | 278 |
| 2016 | 820 | 553 | 267 |
| 2015 | 816 | 552 | 264 |
| 2014 | 850 | 535 | 315 |
| 2013 | 828 | 538 | 290 |
| 2012 | 813 | 533 | 280 |
| 2011 | 824 | 541 | 283 |
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 193 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 194 in 2014.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 193 | 139 | 54 |
| 2023 | 196 | 134 | 62 |
| 2022 | 202 | 162 | 40 |
| 2021 | 216 | 151 | 65 |
| 2020 | 207 | 148 | 59 |
| 2019 | 180 | 137 | 43 |
| 2018 | 183 | 134 | 49 |
| 2017 | 178 | 129 | 49 |
| 2016 | 225 | 165 | 60 |
| 2015 | 179 | 121 | 58 |
| 2014 | 194 | 132 | 62 |
NHS figures for England
New cancer cases (England)
OHID's Fingertips tool gives “Oesophageal cancer registrations” as 15.2 per 100,000 in England for 2017 - 19, covering 23,283 new cases. The first figure in the series, for 2007 - 09, was 15.4 per 100,000.
| Period | per 100,000 | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 - 19 | 15.2 per 100,000 | 23,283 |
| 2016 - 18 | 15.4 per 100,000 | 23,041 |
| 2015 - 17 | 15.2 per 100,000 | 22,345 |
| 2014 - 16 | 15.3 per 100,000 | 22,161 |
| 2013 - 15 | 15.4 per 100,000 | 21,902 |
| 2012 - 14 | 15.4 per 100,000 | 21,614 |
| 2011 - 13 | 15.5 per 100,000 | 21,244 |
| 2010 - 12 | 15.6 per 100,000 | 20,933 |
| 2009 - 11 | 15.3 per 100,000 | 20,304 |
| 2008 - 10 | 15.5 per 100,000 | 20,157 |
| 2007 - 09 | 15.4 per 100,000 | 19,739 |
Source: OHID Fingertips, indicator 93383 (NHS England) · data read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 b83bc254ff9336ad…
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 neoplasm of oesophagus”, codes C15. 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 C15, 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
932c16e315c985f9…· publisher's page
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