It is a myth that cancer represents a health challenge only for the richer nations of the world, although the overall cancer incidence rates are indeed higher in developed than in developing and emerging nations.However, certain cancers that are linked to infectious agents (e.g., cervical cancer and liver cancer) are much more common in low-and middle-income countries, and cancer as a whole is increasing dramatically in less developed nations.It is also of note that cancers are more often fatal in developing countries.Liver cancer kills more Chinese males than any other cancer.Several factors account for the observed and projected increase of cancer in low-and middle-income countries.Currently, many nations, including China, are in demographic transition with their populations not only growing in number but also becoming on average older.Because cancer incidence is considerably higher in ol der people, an increase in overall cancer incidence rates accompanies a demographic shift toward older populations wherever it occurs.Compounding the issue of aging and cancer is the adoption or increase of certain " cancerfriendly" lifestyles, most notably increased tobacco use, increased obesity, reduced physical activity, and diets that are shifting toward being higher in red meats and lower in fruits and vegetables.China is projected to experi ence a 50-75% increase in cancer deaths just by 2020 with much of this increase tied to tobacco use.