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Cancer is the leading cause of death in China. According to the latest statistics available, in 2022 approximately 4,824,700 new cancer cases and 2,574,200 new cancer deaths occurred in the country. These figures are set to rise significantly over the next five years or so.

While there has been some success in reducing the incidences of certain types of cancer, including breast cancer and digestive system cancers, the prognosis remains grim. But why is China prone to such high cancer mortality rates, and what are the the leading cancers ranked by death?

Click through and find out what's driving China's growing cancer burden.

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There are currently 1.4 billion inhabitants in China, a number second only to India, which has a population of 1.46 billion.

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With such a huge populace, you'd expect the number of medical conditions and disorders recorded in China to be higher than average.

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But China actually faces a disproportionate cancer burden to the population size.

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Latest figures available released by the National Cancer Center of China (NCC) estimated that in 2022 about 4,824,700 new cancer cases and 2,574,200 new cancer deaths occurred in the country.

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In 2024, the total number of deaths from all causes in China amounted to around 10.93 million, according to Statista.

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Cancers of the lung, colon-rectum, thyroid, liver, and stomach were the top five cancer types, accounting for little over 57% of new cancer cases.

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Cancers of the lung, liver, stomach, colon-rectum, and esophagus (pictured) were the five leading causes of cancer deaths, accounting for 67.50% of total cancer deaths, reported the NCC.

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (AIRC), part of the World Health Organization, further disseminated NCC data from 2022.

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The top three leading cancers ranked by causes in China's male population were: lung, colon-rectum, and liver cancer.

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Among China's female population, the top three leading cancers ranked by causes were: lung, breast, and thyroid cancer.

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The top three leading cancers ranked by deaths among Chinese males were: lung, liver, and stomach cancer.

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The top three leading cancers ranked by deaths among Chinese females were: lung, colon-rectum, and liver cancer.

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A worrying statistic revealed the risk of developing cancer before the age of 75 years as 21% for males and 19.3% for females.

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Similarly, the risk of dying from cancer before the age of 75 years was calculated at 13.5% for males and 7.1% for females.

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Scientists and health professionals attempting to identify specific reasons why China's cancer rates are soaring can offer no definitive answers—China does not maintain a national database.

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To date, no studies have provided a systematic quantitative assessment of the burden of cancer mortality and incidence attributable to known risk factors in the country.

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What is certain is that cancer rates in China are due to modifiable lifestyle and environmental risk factors, and are potentially preventable.

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Lung cancer is the top cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women, together with smoking as the most important contributor to cancer deaths.

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Infectious agents generated by air pollution is a contributory factor, the effects of which have long been blamed on China's high mortality rate from the disease.

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Unhealthy habits such as poor diet and obesity can also be attributed to elevated cases of cancer across China.

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In 2022, documented incidences of breast cancer in China reached 357,161 new cases resulting in 74,986 deaths, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. Previously in 2015, the entire nation mourned the loss of Chinese pop singer Yao Beina. Her death from breast cancer at age 33 inspired others stricken with the disease to build confidence to overcome the condition. While breast cancer remains the second-highest incidence of the disease among women, more are coming forward to be screened.

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The rising burden of colon-rectum and prostate cancers is significant. Tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, low vegetable intake, low fruit intake, and high red and processed meat intake can all contribute towards the onset of colon-rectum cancer.

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Research suggests there may also be a link between obesity and prostate cancer, and a balanced diet and regular exercise may lower a person's risk of developing this particular type of the disease.

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Liver cancer is a particular problem among Chinese men, many of whom carry the hepatitis B virus. The reason for this is unclear, because hepatitis B has no clear transmission routes. Without regular health checks, the virus can easily morph into liver cancer. China now accounts for half of the world's cases of the disease: around 130 million people in the country are believed to be carrying the hepatitis B virus, and 30 million have developed a chronic hepatitis B virus, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Findings suggest that although substantial progress has been made in cancer control, especially in digestive system cancers, the disease in all its forms remains a major public health concern in China.

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This is despite the gradual decrease in smoking and relative improvements of air quality. But protocols are in place to help stem cancer's relentless march.

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In 2019, the National Health Commission of China and other government agencies published the Cancer Prevention and Control Action Plan.

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In 2023, the Healthy China Action Plan was launched, the largest public health plan initiative in China's history.

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Adherence to guidelines set out in both documents, along with sustained efforts in comprehensive risk factor control, cancer screening, early diagnosis and treatment, and standardization of diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, are seen as key strategies to effectively mitigate the increasing cancer burden by 2030, says the NCC.

Sources: (Springer Nature Link) (NCC) (Annals of Oncology) (BBC) (AIRC) (WHO) (NIH) (Statista) (World Cancer Research Fund)