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Review
. 2022 Aug 30;19(8):1121-1138.
doi: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0231.

Current cancer burden in China: epidemiology, etiology, and prevention

Cao Maomao  1 , Li He  1 , Sun Dianqin  1 , He Siyi  1 , Yan Xinxin  1 , Yang Fan  1 , Zhang Shaoli  1 , Xia Changfa  1 , Lei Lin  2 , Peng Ji  2 , Chen Wanqing  1
Affiliations
Review

Current cancer burden in China: epidemiology, etiology, and prevention

Cao Maomao et al. Cancer Biol Med. .

Abstract

Cancer has become the most common cause of death in China. Owing to rapid economic development, improved livelihood, and shifts in risk factors, cancer epidemiology has experienced substantial changes during the past several decades. In this review, we aim to describe the current cancer epidemiology of the main types of cancer in China, report major risk factors associated with cancer development, and summarize the contributions of the Chinese government to controlling the cancer burden. A total of 4,064,000 new cases were diagnosed in China in 2016. The most frequent types are lung cancer (828,100; 20.4%), colorectal cancer (408,000; 10.0%), and gastric cancer (396,500; 9.8%). Lung (657,000; 27.2%), liver (336,400, 13.9%), and stomach (288,500; 12.0%) cancers are the 3 most deadly cancers in the general population. The 5-year survival rate for cancer has dramatically increased in recent decades. However, liver and particularly pancreatic cancers still have the poorest prognosis. The main modifiable risk factors associated with cancer development include infectious agents, smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, unhealthful dietary habits, and inadequate physical activity. The Chinese government has made unremitting efforts to decrease the cancer burden, including cancer education and investment in cancer screening programs.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflicts of interest are disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Crude and age-standardized incidence of cancer by sex (A. female, B. male). Data were extracted from Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2016.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Crude and age-standardized mortality of cancer by sex (A. female, B. male). Data were extracted from Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2016.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Age-standardized 5-year relative survival rates for the common cancers. Data were extracted from Changing cancer survival in China during 2003–2015: a pooled analysis of 17 population-based cancer registries.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Measures for cancer prevention and control in China.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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