Objective: To analyze the incidence of cancer during 2008-2012 in Beijing, China, and compare the cancer spectrum with that during 1998-1999.Methods: Data from the Beijing Cancer Registry(BCR), which covered 12 million residents and 16 administrative regions in Beijing, were checked and evaluated on basis of the criteria of data quality from the National Central Cancer Registry(NCCR) of China. Incidences were calculated stratified by cancer type, sex, areas(urban/rural), and age. The Chinese census population in 1982 and the world Segi’s population were used for calculating the age-standardized incidences.Results: A total of 177,101 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Beijing between 2008 and 2012. The crude incidence rate(CR) of all cancers was 282.64/100,000(290.71/100,000 in males and 274.45/100,000 in females). The age-standardized rates by Chinese standard population(ASR-China) and by world standard population(ASR-world) were 124.46/100,000 and 161.18/100,000, respectively. Female breast cancer was the most common cancer, followed by lung cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer, with the CR of 59.87/100,000, 59.21/100,000, 32.49/100,000, 19.81/100,000 and 17.96/100,000, respectively. In urban areas, female breast cancer(68.50/100,000) was still the most common cancer, followed by lung cancer(61.23/100,000), colorectal cancer(37.23/100,000), prostate cancer(20.49/100,000) and stomach cancer(20.07/100,000). In rural areas, lung cancer(55.94/100,000) was the most common cancer, followed by female breast cancer(45.87/100,000), colorectal cancer(24.77/100,000), liver cancer(20.68/100,000) and stomach cancer(14.52/100,000). Great changes of the cancer spectrum were found from the period of 1998-1999 to the period of 2011-2012 in Beijing.Conclusions: The cancer burden in Beijing was heavier than the national average level. Cancer prevention and control strategies, especially for lung, colorectal, prostate and female thyroid cancers, should be enhanced. Objective: To analyze the incidence of cancer during 2008-2012 in Beijing, China, and compare the cancer spectrum with that during 1998-1999.Methods: Data from the Beijing Cancer Registry (BCR), which covered 12 million residents and 16 administrative regions in Beijing, were checked and evaluated on basis of the criteria of data quality from the National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR) of China. Incidences were calculated stratified by cancer type, sex, areas (urban / rural), and age. The Chinese census population in 1982 and the world Segi’s population were used for calculating the age-standardized incidences.Results: A total of 177,101 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Beijing between 2008 and 2012. The crude incidence rate (CR) of all cancers was 282.64 / 100,000 (290.71 / 100,000 in males and 274.45 / 100,000 in females). The age-standardized rates by Chinese standard population (ASR-China) and by world standard population (ASR-world) were 124.46 / 100,000 and 161.18 / 100,000, respectively. Femalebreast cancer was the most common cancer, followed by lung cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer with the CR of 59.87 / 100,000, 59.21 / 100,000, 32.49 / 100,000, 19.81 / 100,000 and 17.96 / 100,000, respectively. urban areas, female breast cancer (68.50 / 100,000) was still the most common cancer, followed by lung cancer (61.23 / 100,000), colorectal cancer (37.23 / 100,000), prostate cancer (55.94 / 100,000) was the most common cancer followed by female breast cancer (45.87 / 100,000), colorectal cancer (24.77 / 100,000), liver cancer (20.68 / 100,000) and stomach cancer / 100,000). Great changes in the cancer spectrum were found from the period of 1998-1999 to the period of 2011-2012 in Beijing. Conclusions: The cancer burden in Beijing was heavier than the national average level. Cancer prevention and control strategies, especially for lung, colorectal, prostate and female thyroid cancers, should be enhanced.