Cancer remains the most common cause of death in the Netherlands, accounting for around three in ten fatalities, according to latest figures from the CBS.

Around 47,000 people died from cancer-related complications in 2018, out of a total of 153,000 deaths. Cancer was responsible for 45 per cent of deaths among people aged between 40 and 80.

The proportion has been steady for the last few years. Men are more likely than women to die as a result of cancer, accounting for 54 per cent of the total. Women are more likely to die of illnesses such as dementia and heart disease, reflecting the fact that they live longer on average.

Fewer than 2,000 people under the age of 40 died in 2018. Unnatural causes such as accidents, suicide or murder were the most common reason, making up 44 per cent of the total.