Incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer in China, 2011

Objective: Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. This article provides the most up-to-date overview of colorectal cancer burden in China.

Methods: Totally 234 cancer registries submitted data of 2011 to the National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR). Qualified data from 177 registries was pooled and analyzed. The crude incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer were calculated by age, gender and geographic area. The numbers of new cases and deaths were estimated using the 5-year age-specific cancer incidence/mortality rates and the corresponding populations. China census in 2000 and Segi's world population were applied for age standardized rates.

Results: The estimate of new cases diagnosed with colorectal cancer of China in 2011 was 310,244 (178,404 for males and 131,840 for females, 195,117 in urban areas and 115,128 in rural areas), accounting for 9.20% of overall new cancer cases. The crude incidence of colorectal cancer ranked fourth in all cancer sites with rate of 23.03/100,000 (25.83/100,000 for males and 20.08/100,000 for female, 28.25/100,000 in urban areas and 17.54/100,000 in rural areas). The age-standardized rates by China population and by World population were 16.79/100,000 and 16.52/100,000, respectively. The estimated number of colorectal cancer deaths of China in 2011 was 149,722 (86,427 for males and 63,295 for females, 91,682 in urban areas and 58,040 in rural areas), accounting for 7.09% of overall cancer deaths. The crude mortality rate for colorectal cancer ranked fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in all cancer sites with rate of 11.11/100,000 (12.51/100,000 for males and 9.64/100,000 for female, 13.27/100,000 in urban areas and 8.84/100,000 in rural areas). The age-standardized rates by China population and by World population for mortality were 7.77/100,000 and 7.66/100,000, respectively. For both of incidence and mortality, the rates of colorectal cancer were much higher in males than in females, and in rural areas than in urban areas. The rate of colorectal cancer increased greatly with age, especially after 40 or 45 years old.

Conclusions: Colorectal cancer is a relative common cancer in China, especially for males in urban areas. Targeted prevention and early detection programs should be carried out.