OBJECTIVES

Recent GLOBOCAN statistics suggest breast, colorectal and prostate cancer among the top 5 most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide. The objective of this study was to examine the humanistic burden of these cancers in Japan and China, especially, in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI).

METHODS

This analysis utilized population-based Japan’s National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) for 2018 (n=30,000) and 2017 (n=30,001), as well as the China’s NHWS for 2017 (n=19,994) and 2015 (n=26,004). Demographic characteristics, HRQoL measured by SF-12v2/SF-36v2 and WPAI were assessed for the three cancer types (breast, colorectal and prostate) in China and Japan.

RESULTS

Proportion of diagnosed cancer patients among self-reported patients were >80% in Japan and <55% in China for the three cancer types. Both in China and Japan, respondents without cancer had similar mental component score (MCS: 48.43 vs. 48.71), physical component score (PCS: 52.56 vs. 50.95) and WPAI (work productivity impairment: 20.09 vs. 22.47; activity impairment: 20.49 vs. 19.74). Interestingly, in China after adjustment of potential confounders, the differences in MCS and PCS between cancer and non-cancer respondents were clinically significant (greater than 3). The differences were greater than six for PCS for colorectal cancer patients and, MCS and PCS for prostate cancer patients. Ergo, the differences in MCS and PCS between cancer patients and non-cancer respondents were not clinically significant in Japan. However, cancer patients in China also had much lower HRQoL and higher WPAI, compared to cancer patients in Japan.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite lower rate of self-reported diagnosis of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer, these 3 cancers caused significant humanistic burden in terms of the HRQoL and WPAI in China compared to Japan. Thus, compared to Japan, in China, there is a gap in the awareness of cancer and patient support, which needs to be addressed.