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Review ArticleReview

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

Maomao Cao, He Li, Dianqin Sun, Siyi He, Xinxin Yan, Fan Yang, Shaoli Zhang, Changfa Xia, Lin Lei, Ji Peng and Wanqing Chen
Cancer Biology & Medicine August 2022, 19 (8) 1121-1138; DOI: https://doi.org/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0231
Maomao Cao
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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He Li
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Dianqin Sun
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Siyi He
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Xinxin Yan
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Fan Yang
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Shaoli Zhang
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Changfa Xia
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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Lin Lei
2Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Shenzhen Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518020, China
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Ji Peng
2Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Shenzhen Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518020, China
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  • ORCID record for Ji Peng
  • For correspondence: chenwq{at}cicams.ac.cn pengji126{at}126.com
Wanqing Chen
1Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory for National Cancer Big Data Analysis and Implement, Beijing 100021, China
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  • ORCID record for Wanqing Chen
  • For correspondence: chenwq{at}cicams.ac.cn pengji126{at}126.com
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    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, 20161.

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    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, 20161.

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    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 registries7.

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    Figure 4

    Measures for cancer prevention and control in China.

Tables

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    Table 1

    The most frequent cancers in China by sex, 2016

    SiteOverallMenWomen
    CasesPercentage (%)RankCasesPercentage (%)RankCasesPercentage (%)Rank
    All sites4,064,000100.0–2,234,300100.0–1,829,600100.0–
    Lung828,10020.41549,80024.61278,30015.22
    Colon-rectum408,00010.02238,50010.74169,5009.33
    Stomach396,5009.83276,30012.43120,2006.65
    Liver388,8009.64288,80012.92100,0005.57
    Female breast306,0007.55–––306,00016.71
    Esophagus252,5006.26184,5008.3568,0003.710
    Thyroid202,6005.0750,0002.212152,6008.34
    All other sites173,6004.3890,9004.1682,7004.58
    Cervix119,3002.99–––119,3006.56
    Brain, CNS109,0002.71050,5002.31158,5003.211
    Pancreas100,4002.51157,0002.6943,4002.413
    Lymphoma89,9002.21251,6002.31038,3002.114
    Leukemia85,8002.11349,4002.21336,4002.015
    Bladder82,3002.01464,2002.9818,0001.018
    Prostate78,3001.91578,3003.57–––
    Kidney75,8001.91648,0002.11427,8001.517
    Uterus71,1001.717–––71,1003.99
    Ovary57,2001.418–––57,2003.112
    Gallbladder55,7001.41926,4001.21729,3001.616
    Lip, oral, cavity, and pharynx52,2001.32036,2001.61616,1000.919
    Nasopharynx52,0001.32137,4001.71514,7000.820
    Bone25,8000.62214,9000.71910,9000.621
    Larynx25,7000.62323,5001.1182,2000.124
    Other thoracic organs13,1000.3247,6000.3205,5000.322
    Melanoma of skin7,0000.2253,5000.2213,5000.223
    Testis3,4000.1263,4000.222––

    Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 20161.

      • View popup
      Table 2

      Leading causes of death in China by sex, 2016

      SiteOverallMenWomen
      DeathsPercentage (%)RankDeathsPercentage (%)RankDeathsPercentage (%)Rank
      All sites2,413,500100.0–1,530,700100.0–882,800100.0–
      Lung657,00027.21454,70029.71202,30022.91
      Liver336,40013.92249,60016.3286,8009.83
      Stomach288,50012.03200,20013.1388,40010.02
      Colon–rectum195,6008.14114,5007.5581,0009.24
      Esophagus193,9008.05142,3009.3451,6005.86
      All other sites93,4003.9653,5003.5639,9004.57
      Pancreas87,9003.6749,8003.3738,1004.38
      Female breast71,7003.08–––71,7008.15
      Brain, CNS58,5002.4932,6002.1925,9002.911
      Leukemia55,7002.31032,4002.11023,2002.612
      Lymphoma51,5002.11131,0002.01120,5002.314
      Gallbladder41,4001.71219,5001.31422,0002.513
      Cervix37,2001.513–––37,2004.29
      Bladder33,7001.41426,2001.7127,5000.918
      Prostate33,6001.41533,6002.28–––
      Ovary27,2001.116–––27,2003.110
      Kidney26,9001.11717,1001.1169,8001.116
      Nasopharynx26,7001.11819,7001.3137,0000.819
      Lip, oral, cavity, and pharynx25,8001.11918,9001.2156,9000.820
      Bone18,4000.82010,7000.7187,7000.917
      Uterus17,1000.721–––17,1001.915
      Larynx14,3000.62212,5000.8171,7000.223
      Thyroid8,3000.3233,1000.2205,2000.621
      Other thoracic organs6,8000.3244,3000.3192,5000.322
      Melanoma of skin38000.2252,1000.1211,7000.224
      Testis9000.0269000.122–––

      Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 20161.

        • View popup
        Table 3

        Leading causes of death in China

        YearRural (%)Urban (%)
        CancerHeart conditionsCerebrovascular diseaseRespiratory diseaseCancerHeart conditionsCerebrovascular diseaseRespiratory disease
        200018.412.418.423.124.417.721.313.3
        200117.713.119.022.524.917.620.413.4
        200220.714.317.315.623.514.617.515.6
        200325.312.023.818.725.514.420.014.6
        200423.712.514.913.323.918.819.113.1
        200520.311.821.223.522.917.921.212.6
        200625.113.920.416.427.317.117.713.1
        200724.814.820.617.228.516.318.013.1
        200825.414.121.716.927.119.719.611.9
        200924.317.223.215.027.020.820.410.5
        201023.117.923.414.226.320.920.211.0
        201123.619.421.713.327.821.320.210.6
        201223.018.120.615.826.821.519.612.3
        201322.421.922.911.525.521.620.312.4
        201423.021.722.912.126.222.120.412.0
        201523.221.823.212.126.422.020.611.8
        201622.922.223.312.026.122.620.611.2
        201723.122.723.211.626.123.020.610.9
        201823.023.523.211.226.023.320.510.8
        201923.323.822.910.825.723.720.610.4
        202023.124.523.59.125.424.621.38.7

        National Bureau of Statistics of China.

          • View popup
          Table 4

          Major causes of cancer-associated death from 1973 to 2005

          1973–1975 (year)1990–1992 (year)2004–2005 (year)
          SiteProportion (%)SiteProportion (%)SiteProportion (%)
          Stomach23.0Stomach23.2Lung22.7
          Esophagus22.3Liver18.8Liver19.3
          Liver15.1Lung16.2Stomach18.2
          Cervix7.6Esophagus16.1Esophagus11.2
          Lung7.4Colorectum4.9Colorectum5.2
          Colorectum5.3Leukemia3.4Leukemia2.8
          Leukemia3.8Cervix1.8Brain2.3
          Nasopharynx2.8Nasopharynx1.6Breast2.1
          Breast2.0Breast1.6Pancreas1.9
          Brain1.9Bladder0.9Bone1.3
          Others8.8Others11.5Others13.0

          Three National Retrospective Sampling Survey of Death Causes6.

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          Cancer Biology & Medicine
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          15 Aug 2022
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          Current cancer burden in China: epidemiology, etiology, and prevention
          Maomao Cao, He Li, Dianqin Sun, Siyi He, Xinxin Yan, Fan Yang, Shaoli Zhang, Changfa Xia, Lin Lei, Ji Peng, Wanqing Chen
          Cancer Biology & Medicine Aug 2022, 19 (8) 1121-1138; DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0231

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          Current cancer burden in China: epidemiology, etiology, and prevention
          Maomao Cao, He Li, Dianqin Sun, Siyi He, Xinxin Yan, Fan Yang, Shaoli Zhang, Changfa Xia, Lin Lei, Ji Peng, Wanqing Chen
          Cancer Biology & Medicine Aug 2022, 19 (8) 1121-1138; DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0231
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            • Abstract
            • Introduction
            • Cancer epidemiology
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