Lung Cancer in People’s Republic of China

Abstract

Perspective As of 2018, the People’s Republic of China was the most populous country in the world, reaching a total population of approximately 1.39 billion people, of which about 831 million and 564 million people lived in urban and rural regions, respectively. The 2020 population is estimated to be 1.44 billion, remaining the largest in the world. Owing to the country’s large population and rapid socioeconomic development, cancerr epresents a significant health, financial, and societal burden. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancerrelated morbidity and mortality in the People’s Republic of China and has been increasing over the past decades. This creates a huge challenge for the Chinese government, health management department, and professional specialists in lung cancer. Many efforts have been undertaken to address this issue, including favorable policies for screening, effective measures, the People’s Republic of China–specific programs on cancer prevention, screening, improvements in medical insurance, treatment advances, and creation of incentives for clinical research. This editorial will discuss the current scientific knowledge and diagnostic and treatment paradigms of lung cancer in the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese government has established a multilevel medical security system that includes the universal health care system (by the national agency), commercial