TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's cancer database has been updated to raise public awareness of the disease and promote prevention efforts, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated Thursday.

The Health Promotion Administration's update system, “Taiwan Cancer Registration Data Explore,” provides access to the latest cancer data. Launched in August, it includes features such as cancer incidence rates and case numbers by gender, age group, and region, survival rates by cancer type. Also comparisons across years, as well as cancer stage distribution, and stage-specific survival rates.

Users can start by selecting the specific data they wish to view, such as incidence or survival rates. They can then refine their search by applying filters for gender, age, cancer type, time period, and location.

Once the filters are applied, the system generates a visual chart within a report. This report can be downloaded in PDF, Excel, or ODS formats for further analysis.

Taiwan's cancer registry, which began in 1979, requires a confirmed diagnosis before data is included. The process typically takes about two years.

HPA Cancer Prevention and Control Division Director Lin Li-ju (林莉茹) said more than 7,000 healthcare institutions across Taiwan offer subsidized cancer screening services, including community-based mobile screenings. Regular screenings can help reduce cancer-related deaths.

Cancer continued to be the leading cause of death in Taiwan in 2023, marking the 42nd year in a row. Meanwhile, Taiwan's five-year cancer survival rate has improved, rising from 51.1% during 2006-2010 to 62.9% in 2018-2022.

According to the latest data from 2022, a new cancer case occurs every four minutes and two seconds on average, 17 seconds faster than the previous year. The number of new cancer cases nationwide reached 130,293, an increase of 8,531 cases compared to 2021.