Abstract: Background and purpose: Cancer is a major public health issue in China and worldwide, which seriously threatens human beings as well as social and economic development. This study explored the relationships between the cancer distribution characteristics and cancer prevalences in Chinese cancer surveillance regions to provide scientific evidence for cancer prevention and management. Methods: The data were obtained from the book named “Prevalence and Mortality of Cancer in China from 2003-2007” including incidence of 23 cancer types in 32 regions of China published by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences of the Chinese PLA in 2012. Correspondence analysis was used to gain the relation between the prevalence and area distribution. Cluster analysis was used to obtain the classifications with special significance by putting the cancers or regions with similar characteristics into a cluster. Results: Esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, colorectal and anal cancer have high incidence and mortality in both genders. The districts with high incidence of esophageal cancer and gastric cancer were grouped together. The counties or cities (Shexian, Yangcheng, Linzhou, Yanting, Yangzhong and Jianhu) with high incidence of esophageal cancer and gastric cancer were classified into same cluster frequently. Fusui was grouped along because of the lower incidence of various cancers than the national average except for liver cancer. Guangzhou, Sihui and Zhongshan were the districts with high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in both genders. Rural areas in Qidong and Haimen were classified into a cluster in male and total data for the high incidence of liver cancer. Colorectal cancer, anal cancer and breast cancer in women also had high incidence in urban areas. Cervical cancer had the second level high incidence in women following diseases of digestive system, breast cancer and lung cancer. Conclusion: Similar pathogenic factors may exist in counties or cities of Shexian, Cixian, Yangcheng, etc, because of the high prevalence of esophageal cancer. Similar pathogenic factors may also exist in other districts or cancers that were classified into the same cluster.

Key words: Cancer, Morbidity, Correspondence analysis, Cluster analysis