Korea recorded the lowest cancer mortality rate despite the lowest health costs per capita among 22 high-income countries, a study showed.

The research team at the Yale School of Medicine and Vassar College compared spending on cancer care with cancer mortality rates in 22 high-income countries and published the findings in JAMA Health Forum on Friday.

The results showed that Korea’s cancer mortality rate was 75.5 out of 100,000 people, the lowest of 22 countries. The average cancer mortality rate in the 22 countries was 91.4

Japan was the second-lowest cancer mortality rate with 81.5 per 100,000, followed by Australia and Switzerland with 83.3 each, Iceland with 84, Finland with 84.3, and the U.S. with 86.5.

In contrast, Denmark recorded the highest cancer mortality rate with 113.7 per 100,000, followed by France with 107.9, the Netherlands with 107.7, and Ireland with 104.9.

In smoking-adjusted cancer mortality, Korea also ranked the lowest with 50.1 per 100,000 among the 22 nations, followed by Japan with 55.8, Switzerland with 57.4, and Iceland with 61.2.

Korea spent the least total health costs per capita among the 22 countries, spending $2,600 on healthcare per person annually.

On the contrary, the U.S. had the highest total health costs per capita, spending $10,945 per year.

The healthcare spending dedicated to cancer care was highest in Korea with 9.6 percent, followed by Japan with 7.5 percent. The average of the 22 nations was 6 percent.

Cancer care costs per capita were the lowest in Spain with $132 and the highest in the U.S. with $584. Korea was the eighth-lowest with $250. The average cancer cost per capita in the 22 countries was $296.

“Although the U.S. spent more on cancer care than any other country, this expenditure was not associated with substantially lower cancer mortality rates,” the research team said. “Understanding how other countries achieve lower cancer mortality rates at a fraction of U.S. spending may prove useful to future researchers, clinicians, and policymakers seeking to best serve their populations.”