Incidence and mortality of primary bone cancers in China, 2014

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to estimate the updated incidence and mortality of primary bone cancers based on population-based cancer registration data in 2014, collected by the National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCRC). METHODS: In 2017, 339 registries’ data were qualified based on data quality criteria set down by the NCCRC. Cases of primary bone cancers were retrieved from the national database. We estimated numbers of primary bone cancer cases and deaths in China using age-specific rates and corresponding national population stratified by area, sex, age-group (0, 1−4, 5−9, 10−14, …, 85+). Chinese standard population in 2000 and Segi’s World population were applied for the calculation of age-standardized incidence and mortality rates. RESULTS: In 2014, 24,000 primary bone cancer cases and 17,200 deaths attributable to primary bone cancers were estimated to have occurred in China. The crude incidence rate of primary bone cancers was 1.76/100,000, with age-standardized incidence rate by Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and by World standard population (ASIRW) being 1.35/100,000 and 1.32/100,000, respectively. The crude mortality rate of primary bone cancers was 1.26/100,000, with age-standardized mortality rate by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and by World standard population (ASMRW) being 0.88/100,000 and 0.86/100,000, respectively. Age-specific incidence curve was bimodally distributed with age, with the first peak occurring in the second decade of the life and the second peak in the elderly. Males had higher crude and age-standardized rates for both incidence and mortality compared with females. Both crude and age-standardized incidence rates were higher in rural areas than in urban areas, so were the crude and age-standardized mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based study presents the most recently available estimates on primary bone cancers in China, revealing that the males are 1.34 times as much as females suffering from primary bone cancers and the adolescents in puberty and the elderly are predominantly affected groups by these cancers. High-quality cancer registration data are a prerequisite for undertaking further study for gaining insight into the causes and risk factors for primary bone cancers in China.