[Report of cancer epidemiology in China, 2015]

Objective: Data from local cancer registries were pooled to estimate cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2015. Methods: Data submitted from 501 cancer registries were checked & evaluated according to the criteria of data quality control, and 368 registries' data were qualified for the final analysis. Data were stratified by area (urban/rural), sex, age group and cancer sites, and combined with national population data to estimate cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2015. Chinese population census in 2000 and Segi's population were used for age-standardized. Results: Total population covered by 368 cancer registries were 309 553 499 (148 804 626 in urban and 160 748 873 in rural areas). The percentage of morphologically verified cases (MV) and the percentage of death certificate-only cases (DCO) accounted for 69.34% and 2.09%, respectively, and the mortality to incidence ratio was 0.61. About 3 929 000 new cancer cases were reported in 2015 and the crude incidence rate was 285.83 per 100 000 population (males and females were 305.47 and 265.21 per 100 000 population). Age-standardized incidence rates by Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and by world standard population (ASIRW) were 190.64 and 186.39 per 100 000 population, respectively, with the cumulative incidence rate (0-74 age years old) of 21.44%. The cancer incidence and ASIRC were 304.96/100 000 and 196.09/100 000 in urban areas and 261.40/100 000 and 182.70/100 000 in rural areas, respectively. About 2 338 000 cancer deaths were reported in 2015 and the cancer mortality was 170.05/100 000 (210.10/100 000 in males and 128.00/100 000 in females). Age-standardized mortality rates by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and by world standard population (ASMRW) were 106.72/100 000 and 105.84/100 000, respectively, with the cumulative incidence rate (0-74 age years old) of 11.94%. The cancer mortality and ASMRC were 172.61/100 000 and 103.65/100 000 in urban areas and 166.79/100 000 and 110.76/100 000 in rural areas, respectively. The most common cancer cases including lung, gastric, colorectal, liver and female breast, the top 10 cancer incidence accounted for about 76.70% of all cancer new cases. The most common cancer deaths including lung, liver, gastric, esophageal and colorectal, the top 10 cancer deaths accounted for about 83.00% of all cancer deaths. Conclusions: The burden of cancer showed a continuous upward trend in China. Cancer prevention and control faces the problem of the disparity in different areas and different cancer burden between men and women. The cancer pattern in China presents the coexistence of the cancer patterns in developed and developing countries. The situation of cancer prevention and control is still serious in China.