[Epidemiological characteristics of gastric cancer in China, 2015]

Objective: To estimate the morbidity and mortality of gastric cancer and its distribution in China in 2015 and provide information for future cancer prevention and control study and policy decision. Methods: In 2018, a total of 501 cancer registry systems reported data to the office of National Central Cancer Registry, and the data from 368 cancer registry systems met the criteria. The overall, gender specific, age specific and area specific morbidity and mortality rates of gastric cancer in China were estimated based on national population data in 2015. Chinese standard population in 2000 and World Segi's population data were used to calculate the age-standardized rates (ASR) of morbidity and mortality, including ASR of China and the world. Results: In 2015, the qualified 368 cancer registry system covered a total of 309 553 499 population in China, including 156 934 140 males and 152 619 359 females. We estimated that there were 403 000 new gastric cancer cases, with the crude morbidity rate of 29.31 per 100 000, ASR China of 18.68 per 100 000, ASR world of 18.57 per 100 000, and a cumulative rate of 2.29% for 0-74 years. There were 290 900 new gastric cancer deaths, with the crude mortality rate of 21.16 per 100 000, ASR China of 13.08 per 100 000, ASR world of 12.92 per 100 000, and a cumulative rate of 1.5% for 0-74 years. Gastric cancer ranked second as the most common cancers and third as the most common cancer causes of death in China. In general, both the morbidity rate (ASR China, male: 26.54 per 100 000; female: 11.09 per 100 000; rural area: 21.82 per 100 000; urban area: 16.37 per 100 000) and mortality rate (ASR China, male: 18.75 per 100 000; female: 7.72 per 100 000; rural area: 15.84 per 100 000; urban area: 11.05 per 100 000) were higher in males than those in females, and higher in rural area than those in urban area. The morbidity and mortality rates of gastric cancer increased from the age of 40 years and peaked in age group of 80-years. The case number of gastric cancer significantly increased from the age group of 50-years, peaked at 60-70 years, and the majority of cases occured in age group of 55-80 years. There was an overall consistent trend of the age-specific morbidity and mortality rates across different subgroups by sex and geographic areas, with the rates were higher in males than those in females, and higher in rural area than that in urban area. Conclusions: The incidence of gastric cancer varied with sex, age and areas (urban area and rural area). The present analysis provides the latest data on the prevalence of gastric cancer in China, which can help optimize the current screening guidelines and the prevention and control strategies of gastric cancer to reduce the disease burden caused by gastric cancer in China.