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The incidence of cancer in China continued its upward trend in 2024, according to a recent report from the nation’s leading cancer research center. Nearly 5.2 million new cases were diagnosed that year, with an aging population largely contributing to the increase among older adults.
In 2024, approximately 2.7 million new cases were among men and about 2.5 million among women. Over the span of two years, from 2022 to 2024, the total number of new cases grew by approximately 325,900. Individuals aged 60 and older accounted for nearly 62 percent of these cases. The number of new diagnoses surged notably after age 40, peaking among those aged 80 to 84.
This rising trend underscores the growing strain on China’s healthcare system as its society continues to age and the prevalence of malignant diseases increases.
Lung cancer remains the most common and deadliest cancer nationwide. The risks associated with prevention and control are heightened by the aging population, according to the report. It has the highest incidence rate among men aged 40 and above and women aged 60 and older.
The 2024 Lung Cancer Screening and Early Treatment Protocol recommends low-dose spiral CT scans for high-risk individuals aged 50 and older. However, screening rates remain relatively low in less developed regions due to high costs, partly explaining the uneven decline in lung cancer-related deaths across eastern and central-western areas of the country.
The report further highlights that China continues to bear a significant burden of gastrointestinal cancers. Incidence rates spike rapidly after age 40, with mortality rates increasing substantially after age 50.
Colorectal cancer has moved up the ranks and now ranks second among men, especially those 60 and older. Cancers of the colon, rectum, liver, and stomach are second only to lung cancer in terms of mortality.
While the early mortality rate from cancer has fallen to 6.7 percent from 13.1 percent over the past three decades, both in China and globally, cancer-related deaths are expected to continue rising. This is largely due to aging populations and widespread unhealthy lifestyles, according to Shen Hongbing, head of the national disease prevention and control agency, in a publication in a regional medical journal.
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