Cancer rates are on the rise, according to new data released by the Health Promotion Administration. According to statistics from 2019, one person was diagnosed with cancer every four minutes and 20 seconds. That’s 11 seconds faster than the year before, and 38 seconds faster than the rate in 2014. The number of people battling cancer touched a new high in 2019, increasing by more than 5,000 compared to a year earlier.
The Health Promotion Administration has released its latest cancer statistics. In 2019, one person was diagnosed with cancer every 4 minutes and 20 seconds. That’s 11 seconds faster compared to the rate the year before, and 38 seconds faster than the rate in 2014.
Chia Shu-li
HPA deputy director-general
Cancer incidence differs between men and women. For instance, for oral cancer, the incidence rate for men is 11 times higher than the incidence rate for women. What are the reasons for this? It has to do with unhealthy lifestyle habits. Another reason is that men are less likely to go in for routine screening for the four main cancers. Compared to women, they are far less proactive.
Looking at the combined rate of men and women, the top cancers in Taiwan are colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, and oral cancer, in that order. The total number of cancer patients stood at 116,131 in 2018, which rose to 121,254 in 2019. That’s an increase of 5,123.
According to health officials, lifestyle habits like betelnut chewing, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption make men 11 to 16 times more likely than women to develop oral and esophageal cancer.
Authorities say that besides cutting out bad habits and keeping a healthy weight, it’s also important to undergo routine cancer screening, even in a pandemic.
Chia Shu-li
HPA deputy director-general
If you’re concerned about the COVID risks involved in going outside of your local area for cancer screening, we hope you’ll get screened at the closest medical resource near you. For example, our tracking data on colorectal cancer shows that if your screening test comes up positive, your risk of developing colorectal cancer is as much as 20 times higher.
Although cancer rates are rising fast, a diagnosis does not have to mean death. The Health Promotion Administration says that early intervention and prevention are key.