Key facts
- Hong Kong reported 37,953 new cancer cases in 2023, a 7% increase from the prior year.
- Breast cancer is now the second most common cancer in Hong Kong, with 5,585 new female cases in 2023.
- The incidence rate of female breast cancer has been trending upward over the past decade.
- Early-onset cancers, primarily breast and thyroid, represent 12% of all cancer cases in individuals aged 25-49.
- Lifestyle factors such as late marriage, delayed childbirth, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and stress are linked to increased breast cancer risk.
Hong Kong recorded 37,953 new cancer cases in 2023, a 7% increase from the previous year, with lung cancer remaining the most common. However, breast cancer has risen to become the second most prevalent cancer, particularly among women, with 5,585 new diagnoses in 2023, a 7.8% increase.
Anna Tai Yin-ping of the Hong Kong Anti-cancer Society noted that the overall increase in cancer cases is largely attributed to an aging and growing population, as well as increased detection through preventive screenings. She stated that the numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels, indicating a stable trend rather than an early occurrence trend.
Tai explained that cancer occurrence is linked to aging, with increased cell mutation probability. Lifestyle factors such as late marriage, delayed childbirth, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and stress, along with Westernized diets high in animal fats, may contribute to the rise in breast cancer risk. The breast being an external organ also facilitates easier detection of abnormalities compared to internal cancers.
Women have shown a higher rate of new cancer diagnoses than men since 2020, with the age-standardised incidence rate for females showing an increasing trend over the past decade, largely due to the rise in breast cancer diagnoses. The age-standardised incidence rate of female breast cancer has shown an upward trend over the past 41 years, with an average annual increase of 2.0% and 2.4% over the last decade.
Early-onset cancers, defined as those in patients aged 25 to 49, accounted for 12% of all cancers in 2023, with breast and thyroid cancers being the most common. The median age for cancer diagnosis remains stable at 65 to 67 years.
Actress Natalie Ng Man-yan, who died at age 51 from breast cancer that had spread to other organs, had shared her journey on social media, inspiring many with her resilience.