Nasopharyngeal Cancer
23 January 2026
Introduction
Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is more common in the southern part of China than in Western countries. In 2023, NPC was the fifteenth commonest cancer in Hong Kong, accounting for 1.8% of all new cancer cases. In addition, NPC was the tenth commonest cancer in men.
Incidence
In 2023, there were 700 new cases of NPC, with 549 male cases and 151 female cases. The male to female ratio of incidence was about 3.6 to 1. The crude incidence rates of NPC were 16.0 for males and 3.7 for females per 100 000 population of respective sex. The age-standardised incidence rates* of NPC were 10.3 for males and 2.3 for females per 100 000 standard population.
Trend of incidence
The age-standardised incidence rate of NPC of both sexes, males and females all had a downward trend over the past 41 years (average annual percentage change (AAPC)# between 1983 and 2023: -3.3%, -2.8% and -3.8% respectively) and over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2014 and 2023: -2.9%, -2.3% and -3.6% respectively).
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of nasopharyngeal cancer by sex, 1983 to 2000 （View）
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of nasopharyngeal cancer by sex, 2001 to 2023 （View）
Age-standardised incidence rate of nasopharyngeal cancer by sex, 1983 to 2023
| Notes : | Classification of diseases and causes of death is based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) 10th Revision from 2001 onwards. Figures from 2001 onwards may not be comparable with figures for previous years which were compiled based on the ICD 9th Revision. |
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| * | Age-standardised incidence rates are compiled based on the world standard population specified in GPE Discussion Paper Series: No.31, EIP/GPE/EBD, World Health Organization, 2001. |
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| # | AAPC of age-standardised incidence rates is a summary measure of the trends in the age-standardised incidence rates over a specified interval estimated from joinpoint regression. |
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| Sources : | Census and Statistics Department Department of Health Hong Kong Cancer Registry, Hospital Authority |
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Mortality
Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) caused 234 deaths in 2024, accounting for 1.6% of all cancer deaths. It was the fourteenth leading cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong. The crude death rates of NPC were 5.0 for males and 1.5 for females per 100 000 population of respective sex. The age-standardised death rates* of NPC were 2.4 for males and 0.7 for females per 100 000 standard population.
Trend of mortality
The age-standardised death rate of NPC of both sexes, males and females all had a downward trend over the past 44 years (average annual percentage change (AAPC)# between 1981 and 2024: -4.4%, -4.0% and -4.6% respectively) and over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2015 and 2024: -5.9%, -5.7% and -4.6% respectively).
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of nasopharyngeal cancer by sex, 1981 to 2000 （View）
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of nasopharyngeal cancer by sex, 2001 to 2024 （View）
Age-standardised death rate of nasopharyngeal cancer by sex, 1981 to 2024
| Notes : | Classification of diseases and causes of death is based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) 10th Revision from 2001 onwards. Figures from 2001 onwards may not be comparable with figures for previous years which were compiled based on the ICD 9th Revision. |
|
| * | Age-standardised death rates are compiled based on the world standard population specified in GPE Discussion Paper Series: No.31, EIP/GPE/EBD, World Health Organization, 2001. |
|
| # | AAPC of age-standardised death rates is a summary measure of the trends in the age-standardised death rates over a specified interval estimated from joinpoint regression. |
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| Sources : | Census and Statistics Department Department of Health |
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NPC corresponds to codes 147 in ICD-9 and C11 in ICD-10.
For more information about cancer statistics in Hong Kong, please visit the website of the Hong Kong Cancer Registry.
For health information relating to cancer, please visit the Cancer Online Resource Hub.