The figures were provided in light of upcoming World Cancer Day, which falls on 4 February. According to the ministry, cancer is the leading cause of death in men in the country, lung cancer being the most common (151 deaths on average over 15 years), followed by colorectal (60) and prostate (48) cancers. 

For women, breast cancer remains the highest cause of cancer-related deaths each year (around 82 deaths per year), followed by lung (64) and colorectal (57) cancers.

The ministry adds that around 3,000 new cancer cases appear annually in the grand duchy. 

Several initiatives have been launched in recent years to counter the public health challenge that Luxembourg faces. These include programmes centred on tobacco cessation, mammography and colorectal checks. The second national cancer plan also came into force on 1 January 2020. It’s an extension of the first plan and is divided into 8 axes which trickle down into over 100 action items, some of which aim to synergise with other programmes in effect, such as “Gesond iessen – méi beweegen” (“eat healthily, move more”), co-founded with the sports’ ministry.