New Report Reveals Breast Cancer as Most Common Cancer Among Israeli Women in 2023
In 2023, nearly 28,000 Israelis were newly diagnosed with invasive cancer, according to the latest annual report from Israel's National Center for Disease Control and the National Cancer Registry. Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy among Israeli women, accounting for 34.4% of new cases in Jewish and other women, and 33.3% among Arab women. For Jewish men and others, prostate cancer leads with 25% of new diagnoses, while lung cancer is the most common among Arab men, representing 20.2% of cases.
The report recorded a total of 32,689 cancer diagnoses in Israel during 2023, including 29,149 invasive tumors and 3,540 localized tumors. Of the invasive cases, 13,871 were men and 14,103 women. Other common cancers among women include colorectal cancer (8.9%), lung cancer (7.9%), uterine cancer (5.5%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (5.4%). Among men, lung cancer (10.4%), colorectal cancer (9.7%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (5.4%), and bladder cancer (4.8%) followed prostate cancer in frequency.
Survival rates have improved, with over 103,000 Israelis diagnosed with invasive cancer between 2019 and 2023 still alive by the end of 2023. This reflects advances in early detection and treatment. However, cancer remains a leading cause of death, with 11,663 fatalities in 2023, including 6,039 men and 5,630 women. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Jewish men and Arab men and women, while breast cancer is the primary cause of cancer mortality among Jewish women.
Compared internationally, Israel ranks 40th globally in cancer incidence but 76th in cancer mortality, indicating effective screening, early diagnosis, and treatment programs that contribute to longer survival. The report highlights a complex picture: despite thousands of new cancer cases annually, incidence and mortality rates are declining in most population groups, and more Israelis are living longer with cancer due to ongoing medical progress.
