Number of Cancer Deaths in Japanese Males by Site
According to data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Cancer Statistics 2022,” the number of male cancer deaths in Japan in 2022 was 223,291.
The number of deaths by site is summarized below.
Latest data (2022)
Number of deaths by site
Lung cancer: 50,645 (22.7%)
Colorectal cancer: 29,108 (13.1%)
Stomach cancer: 26,154 (11.7%)
Pancreatic cancer: 20,504 (9.2%)
Liver cancer: 12,101 (5.4%)
Prostate cancer: 11,172 (5.0%)
Esophageal cancer: 9,455 (4.3%)
Bladder cancer: 7,767 (3.5%)
Leukemia: 6,989 (3.1%)
Brain tumor: 6,817 (3.1%)
Mortality Rates by Age Group
While the above data is by site, the following data shows the probability of death from cancer (mortality rate) by age group.
The following is a summary of the “Cancer Incidence and Mortality Projection Model” by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
The probability of dying from cancer in 2022 (deaths per 100,000 persons of age) for males is as follows
40s: Lung cancer is the most common cancer, followed by stomach, colon, esophagus, and liver cancer.
50s: Lung cancer is most common, followed by colorectal, stomach, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.
60s: Lung cancer is most common, followed by colorectal, prostate, stomach, and pancreatic cancers.
70s and older: Lung cancer is most common, followed by colorectal, prostate, stomach, and esophageal cancers.
*The mortality rate for men in their 40s and older is the highest for “lung cancer” in any generation.
Reasons for Major Changes in 50 Years
Let us look at what changes have occurred over the past 50 years.
Lung cancer has jumped to No. 1: The mortality rate for lung cancer has increased significantly due to the prevalence of smoking and air pollution.
Stomach cancer mortality rate declined: The widespread use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors and the development of sterilization therapy have led to a decline in the mortality rate for stomach cancer.
Prostate cancer ranked high: The mortality rate for prostate cancer increased due to the aging of the population and advances in detection techniques.
Colorectal cancer mortality rises: The mortality rate for colorectal cancer has risen due to the westernization of diets and obesity.
Looking at the past 50 years, it can be seen that not all sites have increased, and in some sites, medical advances have reduced the number of cases.
The unfortunate result, however, is that the overall number is increasing rapidly.
The number of lung cancers caused by smoking and air pollution has been increasing since Japan’s rapid economic growth.
There are, of course, areas that can be prevented on an individual basis, and we should all do what we can to help.
Number of deaths among U.S. males by site (2020)
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The number of men who died from cancer in the U.S. in 2020 is about 300,000. The number of deaths by site is as follows
Lung cancer: 74,588 (24.8%)
Prostate cancer: 32,783 (10.9%)
Colorectal cancer: 30,353 (10.1%)
Pancreatic cancer: 24,542 (8.2%)
Lymphoma: 22,085 (7.4%)
Liver cancer: 19,298 (6.4%)
Esophageal cancer: 14,556 (4.8%)
Bladder cancer: 13,922 (4.6%)
Leukemia: 12,722 (4.2%)
Brain tumor: 12,045 (4.0%)
Here is one thing I noticed.
In the U.S. data, “stomach cancer,” which should be relatively common in Japan, is not in the TOP 10 of the ranking.
Also, the population of the U.S. is about 330 million (about 165 million men). The number of men in the Japanese population is about 61 million.
The number of men in the U.S. is more than double that of Japan.
However, the number of deaths from cancer appears to be much lower in the U.S.
About 300,000 in the U.S.
Japan: approx. 220,000
Looking at this result alone, we feel that the rate in Japan is higher. 2.
mortality rate by age group
The probability of dying from cancer in the U.S. by age group (mortality rate) is as follows.
According to the CDC’s cancer statistics, the probability of dying from cancer (deaths per 100,000 age) for men in the U.S. in 2020 is as follows
40s: Lung cancer is most common, followed by colorectal, prostate, esophageal, and liver cancers.
50s: Lung cancer is most common, followed by prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer.
60s: Lung cancer is most common, followed by prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, and lymphoma.
70s and older: Lung cancer is the most common, followed by prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers.
Mortality Rates
Unlike in Japan, the overall cancer mortality rate for men in the U.S. has been declining.
Decreasing sites:
Prostate cancer: Early detection and advances in treatment have led to a significant decrease in mortality
Gastric cancer: Mortality rates are decreasing due to the spread of eradication of H. pylori and other therapies.
Sites of increase:
Pancreatic cancer: Early detection is difficult and the mortality rate remains high.
Liver cancer: Mortality rates are increasing due to factors such as the increase in hepatitis C virus infection.
racial/ethnic differences
In the United States, there are differences in cancer incidence and mortality rates by race/ethnicity.
Black men appear to be more likely to die from lung, prostate, and pancreatic cancers than white men.
Hispanic men are more likely than white men to die from stomach, liver, and cervical cancers.
Asian men are more likely than white men to die from lung, stomach, and liver cancers.
Although it seems to vary by race, Asian-Americans may be more prone to stomach cancer.
Summary
Thank you for reading with interest to the end.
There are differences between Japanese men and American men, and I will try to summarize them when I have time, whether the differences are a matter of constitution by race or by treatment methods.