What is the difference between die "from" and &quo

For example,

He died from cancer. Or he died by cancer.

What is the difference between from and by???

Your help would be highly appreciated!

Thank you!



English Learner from Korea

'By' is incorrect here, you wouldn't use it here.

You can, however, use 'of'. "He died of cancer,"

'Died by cancer' doesn't sound right to me either, though Google shows a few hundred occurrences (probably not enough to qualify as a legitimate English expression). There's at least one instance, though, in which 'died by' can be used to show the means of death -- 'died by his own hand' (meaning died from suicide).

I think 'by' is used more often in the form "death by ()". The rule seems to be that for a "quick" cause of death, 'by' can be used:

Death by asphyxiation

Death by heart attack

Death by drowning

Death by blunt force trauma

(I think "died by" works in all or most such cases too, but it's not very common).

If the cause of death is a long-term condition, though, by seems inappropriate:

Died of cancer (not by cancer)

Died of lung disease (not by lung disease)

Died of consumption

And so forth. I'm just speculating here. Any exceptions to this 'rule' I just made up?