Famous people who died of cancer

A list of celebrities and other famous people who passed away due to cancer.

This list below is ordered by the person's date of death.

Shannen Doherty

Actress Deceased
Died on Jul 13, 2024, at the age of 53.
Breast cancer.

O. J. Simpson

American Football player Deceased
Died on Apr 10, 2024, at the age of 76.
Prostate cancer.

Andre Braugher

Actor Deceased
Died on Dec 11, 2023, at the age of 61.
Lung cancer.

Jimmy Buffett

Singer Deceased
Died on Sep 1, 2023, at the age of 76.
Merkel-cell carcinoma.

Paul Reubens

Actor Deceased
Died on Jul 30, 2023, at the age of 70.
Myelogenous leukemia.

Silvio Berlusconi

Former Italian Prime Minister Deceased
Died on Jun 12, 2023, at the age of 86.
Leukemia.

Jerry Springer

TV host Deceased
Died on Apr 27, 2023, at the age of 79.
Pancreatic cancer.

Gianluca Vialli

Soccer player Deceased
Died on Jan 6, 2023, at the age of 58.
Pancreatic cancer.

Pele

Brazilian soccer player Deceased
Died on Dec 29, 2022, at the age of 82.
Colon cancer.

Kirstie Alley

Actress Deceased
Died on Dec 5, 2022, at the age of 71.
Colon cancer.

Kevin Conroy

Actor Deceased
Died on Nov 10, 2022, at the age of 66.
Colorectal cancer.

Olivia Newton-John

Actress and singer Deceased
Died on Aug 8, 2022, at the age of 73.
Breast cancer.

Tom Parker

Singer Deceased
Died on Mar 30, 2022, at the age of 33.
Brain tumor.

Virgil Abloh

Fashion designer Deceased
Died on Nov 28, 2021, at the age of 41.
Cardiac angiosarcoma.

James Michael Tyler

Actor Deceased
Died on Oct 24, 2021, at the age of 59.
Prostate cancer.

Norm Macdonald

Comedian Deceased
Died on Sep 14, 2021, at the age of 61.
Acute leukemia.

Sarah Harding

English singer Deceased
Died on Sep 5, 2021, at the age of 39.
Breast cancer.

Paul Ritter

English actor Deceased
Died on Apr 5, 2021, at the age of 54.
Brain tumor.

Rush Limbaugh

Talk-show host Deceased
Died on Feb 17, 2021, at the age of 70.
Lung cancer.

Dustin Diamond

Actor Deceased
Died on Feb 1, 2021, at the age of 44.
Small-cell lung cancer.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Supreme Court judge Deceased
Died on Sep 18, 2020, at the age of 87.
Pancreatic cancer.

Chadwick Boseman

Actor Deceased
Died on Aug 28, 2020, at the age of 43.
Colon cancer.

Little Richard

Musician Deceased
Died on May 9, 2020, at the age of 87.
Bone cancer.

John McCain

US presidential candidate Deceased
Died on Aug 25, 2018, at the age of 81.
Brain cancer.

Stefán Karl Stefánsson

Actor Deceased
Died on Aug 21, 2018, at the age of 43.
Bile duct cancer.

Aretha Franklin

Singer Deceased
Died on Aug 16, 2018, at the age of 76.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.

TotalBiscuit

Youtuber Deceased
Died on May 24, 2018, at the age of 33.
Bowel cancer.

Charles Manson

Criminal and cult leader Deceased
Died on Nov 19, 2017, at the age of 83.
Respiratory failure and colon cancer.

Adam West

Actor Deceased
Died on Jun 9, 2017, at the age of 88.
Leukemia.

Roger Moore

English actor Deceased
Died on May 23, 2017, at the age of 89.
Cancer.

John Hurt

Actor Deceased
Died on Jan 25, 2017, at the age of 77.
Pancreatic cancer.

Johan Cruyff

Dutch soccer player Deceased
Died on Mar 24, 2016, at the age of 68.
Lung cancer.

Rob Ford

Canadian politician Deceased
Died on Mar 22, 2016, at the age of 46.
Cancer.

Angela Raiola

Reality TV star Deceased
Died on Feb 18, 2016, at the age of 55.
Complications of lung cancer and pneumonia.

David Bowie

Singer Deceased
Died on Jan 10, 2016, at the age of 69.
Liver cancer.

Lemmy

English singer Deceased
Died on Dec 28, 2015, at the age of 70.
Prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure.

Diem Brown

TV personality Deceased
Died on Nov 14, 2014, at the age of 34.
Ovarian cancer.

Richard Ramirez

Serial killer Deceased
Died on Jun 7, 2013, at the age of 53.
Cancer.

Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan President Deceased
Died on Mar 5, 2013, at the age of 58.
Cancer.

MCA

Beastie Boys member Deceased
Died on May 4, 2012, at the age of 47.
Salivary cancer.

Edd Gould

British animator Deceased
Died on Mar 25, 2012, at the age of 23.
Leukaemia.

Christopher Hitchens

Author Deceased
Died on Dec 15, 2011, at the age of 62.
Oesophageal cancer.

Joe Frazier

Boxer Deceased
Died on Nov 7, 2011, at the age of 67.
Liver cancer.

Steve Jobs

Entrepreneur Deceased
Died on Oct 5, 2011, at the age of 56.
Pancreatic cancer.

Pete Postlethwaite

English actor Deceased
Died on Jan 2, 2011, at the age of 64.
Pancreatic cancer.

Denise Borino-Quinn

Actress Deceased
Died on Oct 27, 2010, at the age of 46.
Liver cancer.

Dennis Hopper

Actor Deceased
Died on May 29, 2010, at the age of 74.
Prostate cancer.

Patrick Swayze

Actor Deceased
Died on Sep 14, 2009, at the age of 57.
Pancreatic cancer.

Farrah Fawcett

Actress Deceased
Died on Jun 25, 2009, at the age of 62.
Cancer.

Bea Arthur

Actress Deceased
Died on Apr 25, 2009, at the age of 86.
Lung cancer.

Jade Goody

English TV personality Deceased
Died on Mar 22, 2009, at the age of 27.
Cervical cancer.

Carl Eugene Watts

American serial killer Deceased
Died on Sep 21, 2007, at the age of 53.
Prostate cancer.

Luciano Pavarotti

Italian operatic tenor Deceased
Died on Sep 6, 2007, at the age of 71.
Pancreatic cancer.

Charles Haughey

Irish prime minister Deceased
Died on Jun 13, 2006, at the age of 80.
Prostate cancer.

Johnnie Cochran

American lawyer Deceased
Died on Mar 29, 2005, at the age of 67.
Brain tumor.

Brian Clough

Football manager Deceased
Died on Sep 20, 2004, at the age of 69.
Stomach cancer.

Robert Kardashian

Attorney Deceased
Died on Sep 30, 2003, at the age of 59.
Esophageal cancer.

Fred Rogers

Television host Deceased
Died on Feb 27, 2003, at the age of 74.
Stomach cancer.

John Gotti

Organized crime boss Deceased
Died on Jun 10, 2002, at the age of 61.
Throat cancer.

George Harrison

Musician Deceased
Died on Nov 29, 2001, at the age of 58.
Throat cancer.

Joey Ramone

Singer Deceased
Died on Apr 15, 2001, at the age of 49.
Lymphoma.

Tom Landry

NFL coach Deceased
Died on Feb 12, 2000, at the age of 75.
Leukemia.

Jim Varney

Actor Deceased
Died on Feb 10, 2000, at the age of 50.
Lung cancer.

Joe DiMaggio

Baseball player Deceased
Died on Mar 8, 1999, at the age of 84.
Lung cancer.

Michelle Thomas

Actress Deceased
Died on Dec 23, 1998, at the age of 30.
Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor (DSRCT).

Carl Sagan

Scientist Deceased
Died on Dec 20, 1996, at the age of 62.
Pneumonia / cancer.

Dean Martin

Singer Deceased
Died on Dec 25, 1995, at the age of 78.
Lung cancer.

Roxie Roker

Actress Deceased
Died on Dec 2, 1995, at the age of 66.
Breast cancer.

Mickey Mantle

Baseball player Deceased
Died on Aug 13, 1995, at the age of 63.
Liver cancer.

Bob Ross

American painter Deceased
Died on Jul 4, 1995, at the age of 52.
Complications from lymphoma.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

First Lady of the United States Deceased
Died on May 19, 1994, at the age of 64.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Bill Hicks

Stand-up comedian Deceased
Died on Feb 26, 1994, at the age of 32.
Pancreatic cancer.

Telly Savalas

Actor Deceased
Died on Jan 22, 1994, at the age of 72.
Complications of prostate and bladder cancer.

Frank Zappa

Musician Deceased
Died on Dec 4, 1993, at the age of 52.
Prostate cancer.

Vincent Price

Actor Deceased
Died on Oct 25, 1993, at the age of 82.
Lung cancer.

Pat Nixon

First Lady of the United States Deceased
Died on Jun 22, 1993, at the age of 81.
Lung cancer.

Bobby Moore

Soccer player Deceased
Died on Feb 24, 1993, at the age of 51.
Bowel and liver cancer.

Audrey Hepburn

Actress Deceased
Died on Jan 20, 1993, at the age of 63.
Abdominal cancer.

Chuck Connors

Actor Deceased
Died on Nov 10, 1992, at the age of 71.
Lung cancer.

Robert Reed

Actor Deceased
Died on May 12, 1992, at the age of 59.
Colon cancer / HIV.

Roald Dahl

Author Deceased
Died on Nov 23, 1990, at the age of 74.
Cancer of the blood.

Sammy Davis, Jr

Entertainer Deceased
Died on May 16, 1990, at the age of 64.
Throat cancer.

Bette Davis

Actress Deceased
Died on Oct 6, 1989, at the age of 81.
Breast cancer.

Anne Ramsey

Actress Deceased
Died on Aug 11, 1988, at the age of 59.
Esophageal cancer.

James Baldwin

Writer Deceased
Died on Dec 1, 1987, at the age of 63.
Stomach cancer.

Ed Gein

Murderer Deceased
Died on Jul 26, 1984, at the age of 77.
Lung cancer.

Andy Kaufman

Comedian Deceased
Died on May 16, 1984, at the age of 35.
Large-cell carcinoma of the lung.

Peter Maivia

Wrestler Deceased
Died on Jun 13, 1982, at the age of 45.
Cancer.

Terry Fox

Athlete Deceased
Died on Jun 28, 1981, at the age of 22.
Osteosarcoma.

Bob Marley

Reggae singer Deceased
Died on May 11, 1981, at the age of 36.
Cancer.

Steve McQueen

Actor Deceased
Died on Nov 7, 1980, at the age of 50.
Heart attack following surgery for cancer.

John Wayne

Actor Deceased
Died on Jun 11, 1979, at the age of 72.
Stomach cancer.

Rosalind Russell

Actress Deceased
Died on Nov 28, 1976, at the age of 69.
Breast cancer.

Tammi Terrell

Motown singer Deceased
Died on Mar 16, 1970, at the age of 24.
Brain cancer.

Walt Disney

Business magnate Deceased
Died on Dec 15, 1966, at the age of 65.
Lung cancer.

Nat King Cole

Singer Deceased
Died on Feb 15, 1965, at the age of 45.
Lung cancer.

Ernie Davis

American football player Deceased
Died on May 18, 1963, at the age of 23.
Leukemia.

Humphrey Bogart

Actor Deceased
Died on Jan 14, 1957, at the age of 57.
Esophageal cancer.

Babe Ruth

Baseball player Deceased
Died on Aug 16, 1948, at the age of 53.
Cancer.

Sigmund Freud

Father of psychoanalysis Deceased
Died on Sep 23, 1939, at the age of 83.
Cancer of the jaw.

Claude Monet

Artist Deceased
Died on Dec 5, 1926, at the age of 86.
Lung cancer.

Ulysses S. Grant

US President Deceased
Died on Jul 23, 1885, at the age of 63.
Throat cancer.

Hans Christian Andersen

Author Deceased
Died on Aug 4, 1875, at the age of 70.
Liver cancer.

Statistics

A few statistics about the people above:

Using the list above, the average age for a celebrity to die from cancer is 61.
The median age is 63.
Men made up the majority of the deaths in this category. 79% of these deaths were male, whereas only 21% were female.

Famous people who died of cancer

Statistics

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