Some 2.8 million Chinese may have died of cancer in 2015 or over 7,500 deaths daily, according to a new study.

“With increasing incidence and mortality, cancer is the leading cause in China and is a major public health problem,” the study in the world’s most populous nation says.

It also estimated that nearly 4.3 million were diagnosed in 2015, with 12,000 new cases daily.

The figures marked a sharp rise in new diagnoses. Figures released in 2013 estimated that there were 3.12 million new diagnoses and over two million deaths in 2012.

The figures in the study are not actual numbers, but are estimates based on data trends from 72 local, population-based cancer registries between 2009 and 2011, which is now available through the NCCRC and represents 6.5 per cent of the total population.

It said lung, stomach, esophageal, liver and colorectal cancers were the most common ones in men, accounting for about two-thirds of all cases.

Breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and esophageal cancers were the most commonly seen cancers among women, the official Xinhua news agency reported, quoting the study.

Chen Wanqing, leading author of the study and director of the NCCRC told China National Radio that though air pollution is an important cause of lung cancer deaths, their accurate correlation must be decided by 10 to 20 years of data analysis.

Noting that smoking accounted for about one quarter of all cancer deaths in China, he said China’s emphasis on smoking control is a good sign to prevent such deaths.

A good trend shown in the report is that mortality rates of cancers have decreased by about 21 per cent for both men and women since 2006.

China should be prepared as the number of cancers deaths will still climb with the arrival of aging population, he said, adding the most important measure would still be on prevention.

The study has been published by the US medical journal ‘CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.’