Cancer now causes more deaths among the middle-aged in higher-income countries than cardiovascular disease, a study suggests.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

Globally, heart problems and stroke is the leading cause of death at this age.

But the researchers say people in rich nations are 2.5 times more likely to die of cancer than cardiovascular disease in their middle years.

In poorer nations, the reverse is true - with cardiovascular disease three times more likely to claim the lives.

The study, published in the Lancet, is drawn from a global research programme following the lives of thousands of people from across 21 countries. People from the UK are not involved.