Global & China Cancer Therapeutics Market to 2031

China, one of the world’s most populous nations, is experiencing a significant rise in cancer cases, adding to an already substantial health burden. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 4.5 million new cancer diagnoses and 3 million cancer-related deaths were reported in the country in 2020. Alarming statistics from WHO suggest that, on average, seven individuals are diagnosed with cancer every minute in China, and four die from the disease. The most prevalent cancers include those of the lung, stomach, breast, thyroid, and blood (leukemia).

An important factor contributing to this trend is China’s rapidly aging population. The study Chronic Illness and Ageing in China, published in 2020, forecasts that the share of people aged 60 and older will increase from 12.4% (168 million) in 2010 to 28% (402 million) by 2040. As life expectancy improves, the elderly—who are more vulnerable to cancer—will comprise a larger portion of the population, further driving demand for cancer care.

The growing need for effective cancer therapies has led to advances in treatment, improving survival rates and patient outcomes. Notably, in July 2023, China approved AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) as a standalone treatment for adults with HER2-low metastatic or unresectable breast cancer who had prior systemic therapy or experienced recurrence shortly after adjuvant chemotherapy. Earlier, in January 2022, BeiGene received regulatory approval for its immunotherapy drug Tislelizumab for use as a second- or third-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. These developments reflect the country’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to innovative cancer therapeutics.