Premature cancer mortality in China based on cancer registry

Background The “Healthy China 2030” outline aims to reduce premature mortality from major non-communicable diseases by 30% by 2030 compared to the levels in 2015. In China, approximately 2.57 million cancer-related deaths occurred in 2022. Population-based cancer registries are crucial for assessing cancer burdens and guiding policy. The National Cancer Center (NCC) of China regularly collects cancer registry data, ensures quality control and reports the nationwide statistics on cancer mortality in China. Methods Data from 1073 cancer registries in China were submitted to the NCC in 2019. Quality control was conducted based on Chinese and international guidelines. Temporal trends in premature mortality rates from 2010 to 2019 were analyzed using data from 106 continuous cancer registries representing 8.85% of the Chinese population. Descriptive analysis, standardized mortality rates, and Joinpoint Regression were used to examine cancer-related deaths stratified by sex and area. Results In 2019, the premature mortality rate from cancer in China was 6.67%. Lung cancer had the highest premature mortality rate (1.87%), followed by liver cancer (1.15%). In South China, liver cancer had the highest premature mortality rate, while lung cancer led in other regions. Nasopharyngeal cancer had a higher premature mortality rate in South China. From 2010 to 2019, a significant decreasing trend of 1.9% per year was observed in premature cancer mortality, primarily due to declines in esophageal, stomach, and liver cancers. Conclusions Premature cancer mortality remains a significant issue in China, with lung cancer being the leading cause. Traditionally high-incidence digestive tract cancers in China still carried a substantial burden of premature mortality. Throughout the history of cancer prevention and control, there has been a notable decline in overall premature cancer mortality, particularly for cancers of the digestive tract. In the future, it is imperative to develop tailored screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment strategies for different cancers in order to achieve the goal of reducing premature cancer mortality and enhancing the health of the population.