Cancer places 100b yuan strain on nation's economy

Cancer cases are rising rapidly in China and are estimated to cost the country 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) a year, according to health organizations and experts.

The World Health Organization, marking World Cancer Day, which falls on Feb 4, said more than 3 million Chinese develop cancer each year and 2.2 million of them die.

In large cities like Beijing, the average medical cost for each cancer patient is up to 300,000 yuan. Many patients abandon treatment because they cannot afford it.