A person being discharged from hospital ba a doctor and a nurse.

In 2023, hospitals across the EU discharged 4.9 million in-patients diagnosed with cancer. Among these patients, colorectal cancer was the most common diagnosis (554 112 hospital discharges; 11.2% of all discharged cancer patients), followed by lung cancer (506 372; 10.3%) and breast cancer (480 922; 9.7%).

EU hospital discharges of in-patients diagnosed with cancer, 2023 (number of patients in thousands, by type of cancer). Chart. See link to the full dataset below.

Source dataset: hlth_tinpat1

In 18 EU countries, colorectal cancer was the leading diagnosis among discharged resident in-patients suffering from cancer. The discharge rate was highest in Croatia (360 discharged colorectal cancer patients per 100 000 inhabitants), Latvia (243) and Austria (239). In contrast, the lowest discharge rates were reported in Malta (31 patients per 100 000 inhabitants), Luxembourg (56) and Ireland (58).

Hospital discharges of resident in-patients with colorectal cancer, 2023 (per 100 000 people). Chart. See link to the full dataset below.

Source dataset: hlth_rinpat2

This article marks World Cancer Day, observed annually on 4 February.

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Methodological notes

  • A hospital discharge occurs when a hospital patient is formally released after an episode of care. The reasons for discharge include finalisation of treatment, signing out against medical advice, transfer to another healthcare institution, or death of the patient.
  • The first chart shows hospital discharges for all hospital in-patients – both resident and non-resident (those with a different county of residence). The second visual focuses only on resident in-patients.
  • For hospital discharges and the length of stay in hospitals, the International Shortlist for Hospital Morbidity Tabulation (ISHMT) is used to classify data from 2000 onwards, which is based on the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10).
  • Chapter II of ICD-10 covers neoplasms, including malignant neoplasms (i.e. cancer), the full names of cancer types presented in this article, according to the ICD-10 are as follows:
    • C18-C21 Malignant neoplasm of colon, rectosigmoid junction, rectum, anus and anal canal;
    • C33-C34 Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung;
    • C50 Malignant neoplasm of breast;
    • C67 Malignant neoplasm of bladder;
    • C61 Malignant neoplasm of prostate;
    • C43-C44 Malignant neoplasms of skin;
    • C53-C55 Malignant neoplasm of uterus;
    • C56 Malignant neoplasm of ovary;
    • Other malignant neoplasms.

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