Cancer survival rates in China on the rise

The overall five-year survival rate of cancer in China has been increasing year by year, rising from 30.9 percent at the beginning of this century to 43.7 percent by 2022, according to the latest data from the National Cancer Center.

The incidence of cancer in China matches the global average with a slightly higher mortality rate. However, after years of effort, the speed of the overall increase in the cancer survival rate in China has approached that of developed countries, said He Jie, director of the center and president of the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, during its academic annual conference in Beijing from Friday to Sunday.

The World Health Organization proposes that one-third of cancers can be prevented, and one-third can be cured through early detection and treatment.

According to monitoring data from 2000 to 2018, the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of high-incidence tumors such as esophageal and gastric cancer in the Chinese population have been decreasing year by year. Experts said this is directly related to the gradual promotion of upper digestive tract cancer screening in China.

He added that the urban early diagnosis and treatment project for cancer promoted by the National Cancer Center has now covered approximately 7 million people in 104 cities across 31 provincial-level regions.

In addition to prevention and early diagnosis and treatment, another key aspect of reducing cancer incidence and mortality rates is standardized treatment.

In recent years, the number of specialized cancer departments in national tertiary cancer hospitals and tertiary public comprehensive hospitals has increased, but the distribution is uneven. Some county hospitals are accelerating the establishment of oncology and radiotherapy departments, but there are still quality control issues, experts said.

Cutting-edge cancer prevention and treatment methods are now accessible in China. Data shows that in the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the approval of new anti-cancer drugs in China, with a total of 208 approved. The proportion of domestically developed innovative drugs has also significantly increased, exceeding 60 percent in 2024.

Besides drugs, more convenient and suitable cancer diagnosis and treatment equipment is also being developed.

Zheng Zhongwei, an official from the National Health Commission, said that relevant departments are reviewing core scientific issues such as tumor immune mechanisms and metabolic mechanisms, preparing to select teams, and conducting organized cancer prevention and treatment technological breakthroughs.

Regarding national cancer prevention, the commission has proposed that by 2030, China's cancer prevention and treatment system will be improved. The comprehensive control of risk factors, cancer screening and early diagnosis and treatment capabilities will be enhanced. The standardized diagnosis and treatment levels will be improved, and the rising trend of cancer incidence and mortality rates will be controlled.

The overall five-year cancer survival rate is expected to reach 46.6 percent by 2030, effectively controlling the disease burden on patients, according to the commission.