Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2024

Cancer remains a major public health issue globally, with a growing burden due to population aging and lifestyle changes. This study provides the estimates of cancer burden in China for 2024.

Cancer data of year 2019 from 919 population-based cancer registries across China submitted to the National Cancer Center were selected, with 106 registries providing continuous data from 2010 to 2019 being used to predict the burden of cancer in 2024. The Segi's world standard population was used to estimate the age-standardized rates. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to evaluate the trends from 2000 to 2019 by calculating the annual percentage changes (APC) and average annual percentage changes (AAPC).

In 2024, an estimated 5,150,000 new cancer cases and 2,580,000 cancer deaths occurred in China. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) was 207.70 per 100,000 population and the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) was 90.90 per 100,000 population. Lung cancer was the most diagnosed cancer, followed by thyroid, colorectal, breast, and liver cancers. Collectively these top five cancers accounted for 59.13 % of all new cases. The leading cause of cancer death was lung cancer, followed by liver cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, and esophageal cancer, which together comprised of 66.75 % of all cancer deaths. The age-specific incidence rates increased with age for most cancer sites in men, but for cancers of breast, thyroid, ovarian, and cervix in women, the rates increased significantly in young and middle ages. The age-specific mortality rate increased with age and showed a higher level in men than in women. From 2000 to 2019, the ASIR for all cancers combined increased significantly (AAPC = 1.6 %), while the ASMR decreased (AAPC = -1.4 %). Cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and liver showed declining incidence and mortality trends, whereas thyroid, prostate, and cervical cancers exhibited significant increases in incidence.

The cancer burden in China continued to be substantial, characterized by a coexistence of cancer patterns of both developing and developed countries. The results highlight the necessity for targeted policies within the "Healthy China 2030" initiative to address sex and age disparities, as well as evolving cancer patterns.