Cancer remains No 1 killer in Beijing for 7th year

The general health of Beijing residents showed signs of improvement last year and average life expectancy increased to 81.5 years, Beijing Times reported today.

A Health and Family Planning Commission report revealed that cancer remains the major cause of death among local residents in Beijing for the 7th straight year. It has the same case with dwellers in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, with 248 out of every 100,000 residents suffering some form of cancer last year and a death rate of 144 in every 100,000, reported Guangzhou Daily.

The top five causes of death among residents in Beijing are cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease – a disease of blood vessels supplying the brain - respiratory disease, injures and intoxication, making up 87 percent of all deaths.

The maternal mortality rate is 9.45 per 100,000 and infant mortality is 2.33 percent, the rates reflecting indexes of residents' health.

The Health and Family Planning Commission sees preventing chronic non-infectious diseases as its priority.