For the 42nd consecutive year, cancer remains the leading cause of death in Taiwan, with more than 50,000 deaths attributed to cancer annually. According to a report released by the Health Ministry’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) this Thursday, one person receives a new cancer diagnosis every four minutes.
The report indicates that the number of new cancer cases in 2022 was 130,293, an increase of more than 8,500 from the preceding year. HPA Cancer Prevention and Control Division Chief Lin Li-ju (林莉茹) said that this is mainly due to the increased number of people getting cancer screenings and seeking treatment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 80% of all cancer cases in 2022 affected the 50 to 59-year-old age bracket and the median age of onset for all cancers was 64. Certain major cancers, such as oral cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, and thyroid cancer, tended to occur earlier.
Regarding lung cancer, the most common cancer in Taiwan, Lin pointed out that while the number of new cases has increased, the proportion of cases detected in early stages has increased, as well. This is related to improved public health awareness and free CT screening, which became available to high-risk groups starting July 2022, she indicated. Early detection vastly improves the 5-year survival rate of lung cancer.
The overall trends show that there are fewer incidences of liver cancer and oral cancer, while breast cancer has seen the highest increase in women. In men, colorectal cancer continues to rank first, followed by lung cancer and prostate cancer.