Cancer of unknown primary statistics
It can take several years to collect and confirm cancer data, so the number of new cancer cases and deaths from recent years may not be available for some time. The most recent data available are provided below.
Incidence and mortality
Specific numbers for cancer of unknown primary are not reported separately but are included in the general category other ill-defined and unknown cancers. This broad category includes similar cancers that are grouped and reported together. As a result, the statistics provided do not necessarily reflect the incidence and mortality for cancer of unknown primary.
Incidence is the total number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer.
Cancer statistics are currently collected, analyzed and reported based on the sex assigned at birth, with male/men and female/women categories. We need to address gaps in how statistics are collected to better understand cancer in transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.
The most recent incidence statistics for other ill-defined and unknown cancers are from 2022:
- 5,690 people in Canada were diagnosed with other ill-defined and unknown cancers.
- 2,985 men were diagnosed with other ill-defined and unknown cancers.
- 2,700 women were diagnosed with other ill-defined and unknown cancers.
The most recent mortality statistics for other ill-defined and unknown cancers are from 2023:
- 4,023 people in Canada died from other ill-defined and unknown cancers.
- 1,912 men died from other ill-defined and unknown cancers.
- 2,111 women died from other ill-defined and unknown cancers.
For more information about cancer statistics, go to the Canadian Cancer Statistics.
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