Sex disparities in cancer incidence in Jiashan County, China, 1995-2014

- Analysis of cancer incidence data to assess sex disparity in a Chinese population.
- The incidences of most malignant cancers were higher in males than in females.
- Age-specific male predominance occurred in the ten commonest cancers for most ages.

PurposeTo describe the sex-specific incidence rates and the male-to-female incidence-rate ratios (IRRs) of different cancer types, and to explore the corresponding sex disparities in an area of Eastern China.MethodsWe used data from the Cancer Registry in Jiashan County, and calculated the sex-specific age-standardized (2010 China standard population) incidence rates and the male-to-female IRRs for different cancer types during the period 1995-2014.ResultsThe age-standardized incidence rates of all cancers for the whole period 1995-2014 were 151.48 per 100,000 person-years for males and 83.75 per 100,000 person-years for females, and the corresponding male-to-female IRR was 1.81 (95% confidence interval: 1.77-1.85). Specifically, males presented higher incidences in most types of cancer with the exceptions of cancers of connective and other soft tissues, gallbladder (including extrahepatic bile ducts), and thyroid gland. In addition, the age-specific incidences of the ten most common cancers in males were higher than those in females in most age groups.ConclusionsOur results reveal a male predominance in incidence for a majority of cancers in Jiashan County, Eastern China. Possible explanations for these sex disparities in cancer incidence may include lifestyle factors, particularly smoking.