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The number of cancer cases is on the rise
According to the Registre québécois du cancer, nearly 70,000 Quebecers were diagnosed with cancer in 2025, representing approximately 190 new cases per day. This number has been rising steadily for several years and is expected to continue increasing in the coming years. Population aging and growth are the main reasons for this increase.
The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that, in 2025, 22,600 people in the province died of cancer—an average of 62 deaths per day. Cancer is also the leading cause of death in Quebec, ahead of cardiovascular diseases.
In Quebec, someone is diagnosed with cancer every 8 minutes, and every 23 minutes, someone dies from it. Fortunately, more people are surviving cancer. According to the Registre québécois du cancer, for all cancers combined, the 5-year survival rate increased from 53% in the early 1990s to about 67% in 2016. These gains are largely attributed to improved screening practices, advances in treatment, and certain lifestyle changes, particularly reduced tobacco use. Preventive measures such as quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and protecting yourself from the sun can significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer.
Key facts about cancer in Quebec
In Quebec:
- Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men
- Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women
- Lung and bronchus cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women
According to the Registre québécois du cancer, it is estimated that in 2025:
- 7,098 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer
- 5,444 men were diagnosed with lung cancer
- 3,808 men were diagnosed with colorectal cancer
- 9,505 women were diagnosed with breast cancer
- 6,254 women were diagnosed with lung cancer
- 3,148 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, it is also estimated that in 2025:
- 3,200 men died of lung and bronchus cancer
- 1,200 men died of colorectal cancer
- 1,200 men died of prostate cancer
- 2,800 women died of lung and bronchuscancer
- 1,350 women died of breast cancer
- 1,150 women died of colorectal cancer
Usefulness and limitations of statistics
Statistics are tools designed to illustrate data about a population, not the situation of an individual. They can therefore be used to:
- Describe the health status of a population
- Evaluate a test, treatment, or clinical trial
- Identify possible causal factors
- Assess the quality and monitoring of certain practices
- Evaluate and organize the healthcare system’s economic structure
- Illustrate the probability of cure, remission, or recurrence
However, statistics cannot be considered individual predictions of cure, remission, or recurrence. They are not certainties.
A person’s chances of recovery from cancer cannot be based solely on statistics. Many variables must be considered, including the type of cancer, its location, the stage of the disease, and the response to treatment.
To learn more about the various topics related to cancer, please contact our Info-cancer Hotline at 1 800 363-0063. A specialized oncology nurse will listen to you, answer all your questions, and give you the support you need.
Sources
Government of Quebec. Statistiques du Registre québécois du cancer. Accessed on February 13, 2026.
Tableau de bord des statistiques canadiennes sur le cancer. Accessed on February 13, 2026.
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