Years of Life Lost

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In 2020, the average years of life lost due to cancer was 15.2.

Summary graph for Years of Life Lost, Click to see detailed view of graph

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Summary graph for Years of Life Lost, Click to see detailed view of graph

Background

Death rates alone do not provide a complete picture of the burden that deaths impose on the population. Another useful measure that may add a different dimension is years of life lost (YLL)—the years of life lost because of early death from a particular cause or disease. YLL caused by cancer helps to describe the extent to which the lives of people with cancer are cut short.

Measure

Years of Life Lost is measured as the difference between the actual age stemming from the disease/cause and the expected age of death due to a particular disease or cause. Specifically, this measure is estimated by linking life table data to each death of a person of a given age and sex. The life table permits a determination of the number of additional years an average person of that age, race, and sex would have been expected to live.

Average Years of Life Lost represents Years of Life Lost divided by the number of people who lost their lives.

Healthy People 2030 Target

There is no Healthy People 2030 target for this measure.

Healthy People 2030 is a set of goals set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Data Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 1975-2020.

Trends and Most Recent EstimatesHelp with navigating the graphs and data tables

Average Years of Life Lost

By Sex
Average-years of life lost due to cancer by sex, 1975-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Average-years of life lost 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for Average-years of life lost due to cancer by sex, 1975-2020 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 15.2 Not available
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 14.2 Not available
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 16.3 Not available
Cancer, All Races, Both Sexes
Average-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, both sexes
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost
Thumbnail of graph for Average-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, both sexes Childhood Ages (0-14) 71.3
Testis 34.7
Cervix Uteri 26.2
Brain & ONS 21.5
Hodgkin Lymphoma 19.1
Breast (Female) 18.8
Ovary 17.7
Corpus & Uterus, NOS 17.5
Oral Cavity & Pharynx 16.9
Liver & IBD 16.8
Melanoma of the Skin 16.6
Stomach 16.5
Esophagus 16.0
Colon & Rectum 15.7
Leukemia 15.6
All Sites Combined 15.6
Kidney & Renal Pelvis 15.5
Pancreas 15.0
Lung & Bronchus 15.0
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 13.7
Myeloma 13.5
Urinary Bladder 11.1
Prostate 9.9

Person-years of Life Lost

All Causes of Death, All Races, Both Sexes
Person-years of life lost in 2020 by cause of death, total U.S., all races, both sexes
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost (in thousands)
Thumbnail of graph for Person-years of life lost in 2020 by cause of death, total U.S., all races, both sexes Malignant Cancers 9,319
Heart Disease 7,635
Accidents 4,809
Chronic Lung Disease 1,883
Suicide & Self-Inflicted Injury 1,539
Cerebrovascular 1,539
Diabetes Mellitus 1,223
Cirrhosis 921
Homicide 864
Alzheimers Disease 751
Pneumonia & Influenza 614
Nephritis & Nephrosis 606
Septicemia 589
HIV 174
Aortic Aneurysm & Dissection 140
Atherosclerosis 49
All Other Causes 9,020
All Causes of Death, All Races, Males
Person-years of life lost in 2020 by cause of death, total U.S., all races, males
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost (in thousands)
Thumbnail of graph for Person-years of life lost in 2020 by cause of death, total U.S., all races, males Malignant Cancers 4,607
Heart Disease 4,454
Accidents 3,240
Suicide & Self-Inflicted Injury 1,157
Chronic Lung Disease 861
Cerebrovascular 705
Homicide 686
Diabetes Mellitus 675
Cirrhosis 570
Pneumonia & Influenza 305
Nephritis & Nephrosis 304
Septicemia 283
Alzheimers Disease 231
HIV 122
Aortic Aneurysm & Dissection 89
Atherosclerosis 24
All Other Causes 4,524
All Causes of Death, All Races, Females
Person-years of life lost in 2020 by cause of death, total U.S., all races, females
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost (in thousands)
Thumbnail of graph for Person-years of life lost in 2020 by cause of death, total U.S., all races, females Malignant Cancers 4,711
Heart Disease 3,181
Accidents 1,569
Chronic Lung Disease 1,022
Cerebrovascular 833
Diabetes Mellitus 549
Alzheimers Disease 519
Suicide & Self-Inflicted Injury 382
Cirrhosis 351
Pneumonia & Influenza 309
Septicemia 306
Nephritis & Nephrosis 302
Homicide 178
HIV 52
Aortic Aneurysm & Dissection 51
Atherosclerosis 25
All Other Causes 4,496
Cancer, All Races, Both Sexes
Person-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, both sexes
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost (in thousands)
Thumbnail of graph for Person-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, both sexes Lung & Bronchus 2,230
Colon & Rectum 820
Breast (Female) 778
Pancreas 643
Liver & IBD 447
Leukemia 364
Brain & ONS 362
Prostate 302
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 278
Ovary 252
Esophagus 248
Kidney & Renal Pelvis 214
Stomach 189
Corpus & Uterus, NOS 188
Urinary Bladder 185
Oral Cavity & Pharynx 172
Myeloma 165
Melanoma of the Skin 136
Cervix Uteri 110
Childhood Ages (0-14) 94
Hodgkin Lymphoma 19
Testis 15
Cancer, All Races, Males
Person-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, males
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost (in thousands)
Thumbnail of graph for Person-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, males Lung & Bronchus 1,155
Colon & Rectum 433
Pancreas 327
Liver & IBD 303
Prostate 302
Leukemia 202
Brain & ONS 199
Esophagus 198
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 158
Kidney & Renal Pelvis 140
Urinary Bladder 130
Oral Cavity & Pharynx 122
Stomach 110
Myeloma 88
Melanoma of the Skin 85
Childhood Ages (0-14) 51
Testis 15
Hodgkin Lymphoma 11
Cancer, All Races, Females
Person-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, females
Overview graph Cause of death Years of life lost (in thousands)
Thumbnail of graph for Person-years of life lost in 2020 due to cancer, total U.S., all races, females Lung & Bronchus 1,075
Breast (Female) 778
Colon & Rectum 387
Pancreas 316
Ovary 252
Corpus & Uterus, NOS 188
Brain & ONS 163
Leukemia 161
Liver & IBD 144
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 120
Cervix Uteri 110
Stomach 79
Myeloma 77
Kidney & Renal Pelvis 74
Urinary Bladder 55
Melanoma of the Skin 50
Oral Cavity & Pharynx 50
Esophagus 50
Childhood Ages (0-14) 44
Hodgkin Lymphoma 8

Additional Information on Years of Life Lost

  • SEER Cancer Statistics Review. National Cancer Institute.
  • Life Tables. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System.

Year Range

1975-2020

Recent Summary Trend Year Range

2016-2020

Summary Tables

End of Life

Recent Summary Trend

Falling

Desired Direction

Falling