OBJECTIVES: This study is to investigate the characteristics on incidence of stomach, lung, liver, breast and kidney cancer, and to estimate the total number of new cancer cases in China in 2004. METHODS: Incidence data were collected through 37 local cancer registries across 19 provinces and autonomous regions in China, 2004. Data were classified by ICD-10 and processed according to international cancer registration guidelines. The number of new cancer cases was estimated by local cancer registry data, residence population in the corresponding areas, and the population of China in 2004. RESULTS: Registry data covered a population of 57,698,672 residents, accounting for 4.44% of Chinese population in 2004. There were 73,552 new cancer cases registered, with world age-adjusted incidence by cancer type ranging from 2.69 per 100,000 to 31.55 per 100,000. Overall, lung cancer was highest in incidence rate, followed by cancer of stomach, liver and breast, while kidney cancer accounted for a relatively small proportion. Cancer among urban residents by incidence per 100,000 was lung (33.19), stomach (18.22), breast (16.52), liver (15.83) and kidney (3.32), while in rural residents was stomach (40.35), liver (28.66), lung (26.30), breast (6.19) and kidney (0.68). Cancer in men by incidence per 100,000 was lung (44.21), stomach (33.32), liver (28.94) and kidney (3.50), while in women was breast (27.76), lung (19.98), stomach (14.06), liver (8.97) and kidney (1.94). Total cancer incidence was estimated 30,571,904 in china in 2004. Estimation of cancer incidence of stomach, lung, liver, breast and kidney was 10,609,682, 7,335,176, 5,927,478, 2,492,148 and 376,927, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer incidence rates vary by region and gender in China. The overall burden of cancer is heavy and more attention should be paid to cancer prevention and control.