Cancer has been proven as the top killer in the island, just ahead of circulatory disease, with the two causes making up 57% of all deaths during 2017.

The figures were released as part of The Mortality Report 2017, the first of an annual series of reports on the causes of deaths registered on the island which also monitors trends in mortality rates.

The report has shown that there were 243 deaths from cancer in 2017, 29.1% of all deaths.

Of the 243 cancer deaths, 68 (28%) were cancers relating to the digestive organs (stomach, pancreas, oesophagus, liver etc) and 61 (25%) were related to respiratory and intrathoracic organs (lungs and throat). Most deaths (63%) from cancer were residents aged between 65 and 85 and a slight majority (54%) were female.

Diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 233 (28%) of deaths in 2017, of which almost half (49) were due to ischaemic heart disease, better known as coronary heart disease.

About 63% of these deaths were aged between 75 and 95.

The report stated that ’there were greater numbers of males dying from circulatory disease but it was not statistically different from the numbers of female deaths.

Director of public health Dr Henrietta Ewart said: ’The data we’ve collected gives more than a snapshot - by looking back over 12 years, we can clearly see trends.

’This is crucial information for planning for our population’s needs, and will help guide decisions about how we spend public money on health improvement projects.

’We’ve identified the 10 top causes of deaths among males and females, thus we know where the challenges lie in terms of preventing ill health - where that is possible - and also where demand for treatments will grow, and more widely, where research must continue. The report provides data that will be useful for planning services and we hope it will also be of interest to a wider audience.’

The other big killers in the island are respiratory disease which represented 106 (12.7%) of deaths and mental and behavioural disorders which represented just under 10% of all deaths.

Of the respiratory related diseases, the main cause of death was chronic lower respiratory disease (obstructed pulmonary disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses) which ’was accountable for 40.6% of these deaths’.

Influenza and pneumonia were responsible for 37.7% of deaths.

Mental and behavioural disorders relate to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, combined they were responsible for 104 (12.4%) deaths in the island in 2017.

Women are expected to live longer, with an average life expectancy of 81 compared with men, for whom the age is 76.