In this article, the authors analyze mortality data from 1980 to 1999. The primary objective of the study is to assess the role of cancer among public health issues, using data on premature mortality (before age 65). Next, the authors analyze regional differences over the 1995–1999 period and how these differences changed between the two periods, 1980–1984 and 1995–1999. They then compare France with several other European countries.