HK records 35,373 new cancer cases in 2022

Lung cancer remained the most common with 5,707 cases.

Hong Kong saw 35,373 new cancer cases in 2022, an 8% decline from 2021, likely due to unusual patterns in cancer testing and diagnosis during the fifth wave of COVID-19, according to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry.

Lung cancer remained the most common, with 5,707 cases, followed by breast cancer (5,208 cases), overtaking colorectal cancer (5,190 cases) for the first time. Prostate cancer and liver cancer followed with 2,758 and 1,612 cases, respectively.

Cancer incidence trends have remained stable amongst men but have shown a rising trend amongst women over the last decade, the registry noted.

The ageing population suggests a continued increase in future cancer cases. Despite this, cancer mortality rates have declined, with significant improvements in survival rates over the past 20 years—rising from 42% in the early 2000s to nearly 55%. 

Approximately 1 in 30 Hong Kong residents has been diagnosed with or survived cancer in the past 20 years, with these survivors likely to have ongoing healthcare needs throughout their journey.

Dr. Harry Yiu Ho-Yin, director at Hong Kong Cancer Registry, highlighted that early-stage cancer diagnosis leads to significantly higher survival rates, with five-year survival exceeding 90% for many early-diagnosed cancers. This underscores the critical role of early detection and treatment in improving outcomes.