- In 2022, 36,202 inpatient discharges and deaths were related to malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung, commonly known as lung cancer, which accounted for 14.3% of hospitalization due to all types of cancers.
Figure 1. Number of In-patient Discharges and Deaths due to Lung Cancer, 1993-2022
- Lung cancer has been the first leading cause of cancer death in Hong Kong for many years. In 2022, 3,781 persons died from lung cancer, accounting for 25.7% of all cancer deaths. The crude death rates for male and female were 71.7 and 34.5 per 100,000 population of respective sex.
Figure 2. Number of Deaths and Crude Death Rate due to Lung Cancer, 1981-2022
- The age-standardized death rates due to lung cancer of male were higher than those of female, while the age standardized death rate for both sexes continued to decrease in recent years.
Figure 3. Age-standardized Death Rate due to Lung Cancer, 1979-2022
- In general, the age-specific death rates of lung cancer for both sexes increased with age. In 2022, the age-specific death rates of male were higher than those of female. The rate of increase was more profound in men than women after age 59.
Figure 4. Age-specific Death Rate due to Lung Cancer, 2022
Note(s):
Classification of diseases and causes of death is based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) 10th Revision from 2001 onwards. Figures from 2001 onwards may not be comparable with figures for previous years which were compiled based on the ICD 9th Revision. Hence, caution should be exercised when interpreting the trend of diseases across 2000 and 2001.
Lung cancer corresponds to codes 162 in ICD-9 and C33-C34 in ICD-10.