According to ministry statistics, it has been China's leading killer since at least 2002 but is now rising at an alarming rate.

The survey, carried out in 30 cities and 78 counties, found the death rate from cancer rose by 19 percent in urban areas and 23 percent in rural areas, although the report did not give a time frame.

"The main reason behind the rising number of cancer cases is that pollution of the environment, water and air is getting worse by day," the paper quoted Chen Zhizhou, a cancer expert at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, as saying.

"Many chemical and industrial enterprises are built along rivers so that they can dump waste into water easily... the contaminated water has directly affected soil, crops and food."

Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides also pollute underground water, he said, while farmers are using additives on pigs, poultry and vegetables to make them grow faster.

Air pollution is a major cause of lung cancers, as harmful granules enter the lungs and cannot be discharged, the report said.

Large amounts of formaldehyde and related compounds also are widely used in home renovation materials and furniture, further polluting the air in homes.

"A high rate of cancer deaths has become a reality in areas where the environment is heavily polluted," the paper said, citing numerous examples of "cancer villages" in China that have high rates of deaths attributed to the disease.

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