BRUSSELS, Feb 4 (WAM/APP): The latest European health data showed that hospitals across the European Union discharged about 4.9 million patients diagnosed with cancer in 2023.
According to the data, colorectal cancer was the most common diagnosis among discharged cancer patients, with 554,112 cases, representing 11.2 percent of total discharges. It was followed by lung cancer with about 506,372 cases (10.3 percent) and breast cancer with around 480,922 cases at around 9.7 percent.
In 18 EU countries, colorectal cancer was the leading diagnosis among discharged resident in-patients suffering from cancer. The discharge rate was highest in Croatia (360 discharged colorectal cancer patients per 100,000 inhabitants), Latvia (243) and Austria (239).
In contrast, the lowest discharge rates were reported in Malta (31 patients per 100,000 inhabitants), Luxembourg (56) and Ireland (58).
A hospital discharge occurs when a hospital patient is formally released after an episode of care. The reasons for discharge include finalisation of treatment, signing out against medical advice, transfer to another healthcare institution, or death of the patient.