Among deaths from disease, nearly 152,100 were caused by cancer during the 2021-25 period, representing around 8.4 percent of all disease-related deaths in Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre
The General Statistics Office of Vietnam has published a report examining the patterns and trends in causes of death in Vietnam from 2021 to 2025.
The findings show that disease was the biggest contributor to death nationwide, accounting for 64.5 percent of all recorded mortalities.
Among deaths attributed to disease, nearly 152,100 were caused by cancer during the five-year period, representing around 8.4 percent of all disease-related fatalities.
The number of recorded cancer deaths increased steadily throughout the period.
In 2021, Vietnam reported more than 19,000 cancer-related deaths, accounting for some five percent of deaths from disease.
The figure climbed to 46,800 in 2025, representing 15.2 percent of all disease-related deaths.
As such, the recorded number of cancer deaths spiked more than 2.4-fold in just five years.
Cancer’s share of disease-related deaths highlights the growing public health burden and the urgent need to strengthen prevention, early detection, and treatment efforts.
Lung, liver cancers account for nearly 40 percent of cancer deaths
According to the report, the four deadliest cancers in Vietnam between 2021 and 2025 were lung, liver, stomach, and colorectal cancers.
Together, these four cancer types occupied 50.6 percent of all recorded cancer deaths during the period.
Lung cancer ranked first, making up an average of 22 percent of cancer-related deaths over the five years.
Its share jumped from 18 percent in 2021 to 24.9 percent in 2025.
Liver cancer ranked second, representing an average of 17.4 percent of cancer deaths.
Although stomach and colorectal cancers accounted for smaller proportions, both showed upward trends.
The share of cancer deaths attributed to stomach cancer grew from 4.7 percent to 6.4 percent, while the proportion linked to colorectal cancer rose from 3.5 percent to 6.6 percent over the study period.
2 out of every 3 cancer deaths are among men
The report also revealed a significant gender gap in cancer mortality, with men accounting for considerably more deaths than women.
On average, two out of every three people who died from cancer between 2021 and 2025 were men.
This proportion remained relatively consistent throughout the five-year period.
Among men, the four leading cancer types were lung, liver, stomach, and colorectal cancers.
They constituted 55.5 percent of all male cancer deaths.
Among women, the proportions of deaths caused by lung and liver cancers were lower than those recorded among men.
However, women faced an additional mortality burden from cancers affecting the reproductive system.
Cancers of the female reproductive system accounted for 13.6 percent of all cancer-related deaths among women between 2021 and 2025, according to the report.
The number of deaths from these cancers increased from 571 in 2021, representing nine percent of female cancer deaths, to 2,357 in 2025, accounting for 16 percent.
Cancer deaths detected among middle-aged, older people
The report found that cancer deaths were concentrated primarily among middle-aged and older people.
The proportion of deaths increased sharply from the age of 40, reaching its highest level among people aged 60 to 69, at 32.9 percent.
The proportion then declined considerably among those aged over 80.
However, the data also revealed a jump in recorded cancer deaths among people under the age of 20.
The figures were released as Vietnam continues efforts to improve its civil registration and vital statistics systems, particularly the accuracy and completeness of cause-of-death data.
Such information plays an important role in monitoring population health, assessing the burden of disease, and shaping national healthcare policies.
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