China has been seeing higher incidence and rising mortality rate of lung cancer, said an expert with China Cancer Foundation Thursday.

The number of cancer patients has been rising steadily, with urban residents outnumbering rural dwellers and men outnumbering women, said Zhi Xiuyi, director with the department of lung cancer prevention of the China Cancer Foundation.

The big cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Wuhan and Harbin, register the highest mortality rate of lung cancer, which is the deadliest form of cancer.

People are contracting the deadly disease at an earlier age, Zhi said.

Zhi said smoking, overworking and environmental pollution are causing the higher incidence of lung cancer among younger people.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2007)