Incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years of female breast cancer in China, 2022

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is ranked among the most prevalent malignancies in the Chinese female population. However, comprehensive reports detailing the latest epidemiological data and attributable disease burden have not been extensively documented.

Methods: In 2018, high-quality cancer surveillance data were recorded in 700 population-based cancer registries in China. We extracted data on female breast cancers (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD-10]: C50) and estimated the incidence and mortality in 2022 according to the baseline data and corresponding trends from 2010 to 2018. Pathological types were classified according to the ICD for Oncology, 3rd Edition codes. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of the years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs).

Results: In 2022, approximately 357,200 new female breast cancer cases and 75,000 deaths occurred in China, accounting for 15.59% and 7.94% of total new cancer cases and deaths, respectively. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) was 33.04 per 100,000. When analyzed by pathological type, the ASIRs for papillary neoplasms, invasive breast carcinoma, rare and salivary gland-type tumors, and other types were 1.13, 29.79, 0.24, and 1.88 per 100,000, respectively. The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) was 6.10 per 100,000. A total of 2,628,000 DALYs were found to be attributable to female breast cancer in China, comprising 2,278,300 YLLs and 349,700 YLDs. The ASIR, ASMR, and age-standardized rate (ASR) for DALYs in urban areas were consistently higher than those in rural areas. We observed a four-fold increase in the ASIR and ASR for DALYs and an eight-fold increase in the ASMR among females over 55 years compared with those aged under 55 years.

Conclusion: These data provide invaluable insights into the latest epidemiology of female breast cancer in China and highlight the urgency for disease prevention and control strategy formulation.

Figure 1

Estimated incidence, mortality, and DALYs of female breast cancer in China by area and age group, 2022. (A) Incidence cases and rates. (B) Mortality cases and rates. (C) DALYs and DALY rate. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life years.

Figure 2

Morphological distributions of female breast cancer in China by area and age group. (A) Urban and rural areas. (B) Females 0–54 years old and over 55 years old.