In Switzerland, men are 27% more likely to die of cancer than women

Statistics published this week show that cancer mortality rates in Switzerland are much higher among men than women. Data covering the period from 2011 to 2015 show that men are 29% more likely to suffer from cancer and 27% more likely to die from it. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Switzerland after heart disease.

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The incidence and survival rates of bad and prostate cancers, two bad-specific cancers, are about the same. 116 out of every 100,000 men have prostate cancer and 111 out of every 100,000 women have bad cancer. Mortality rates for these cancers are also similar: 22 per 100,000 men and 21 per 100,000 women.

So where are the big differences?

The difference in mortality between men and women is mainly due to the following six cancers: lung (+ 71%), mouth and throat (+ 139%), esophagus (+ 215%), colon (+ 24%), liver (+130 %)) and bladder cancer (+ 151%).

The causes of cancer are complex. However, Swiss men are more likely than women to be overweight or to be obese (51% vs. 32%), to smoke (32% vs. 24%), to consume alcohol. Alcohol every day (17% vs. 9%) and eat. poor nutrition – only 12% of men consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, compared to 26% of women¹.

Smoking is closely badociated with cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, lungs and bladder – they account for 34% of cancer deaths in men. Men are 127% more likely to die from these cancers than prostate cancer.

Alcohol and obesity are related to liver cancer, which accounts for 6% of cancer deaths among men. And colon cancer, which accounts for 11% of all cancer deaths among men, is badociated with smoking, alcohol, and a high-fiber, low-fat diet.

According to the Movember Foundation, a charity working for men's health by encouraging men to grow mustaches in exchange for donations, men often ignore their own health.

Scott Poynton, a resident of the Nyon area, encourages residents of Gingins, his hometown, to go to the top of the Dole, every Thursday in November, to raise funds for the foundation. He invites everyone to join him, his mustache and his dog Finn during his last trip to the Dole on Thursday. If you are interested, contact Scott via this event page on Facebook.

More on this:
Recent cancer study – Take a 5 minute French test now
¹Health Statistics 2017

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