For the seventh consecutive year, cancer continues to be the major cause of death in the capital city Beijing even though health officials said general health of residents in the city improved last year.

In a recent report released by the Health and Family Planning Commission, cancer is still the leading cause of death in Beijing, with 248 cases out of every 100,000 residents. Cancer death rate is 144 in every 100,000.

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Cancer is followed by heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory-related illnesses, injuries with various causes, and intoxication. These causes of death make up 85 percent of all the deaths in Beijing last year.

The number of Beijing's cancer cases is similar to the cases recorded in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, the commission added.

However, the average life expectancy of Beijing residents increased to 81.5 years, despite the ongoing problem of air pollution, the Beijing Times reported.

The World Cancer Reports 2014 showed that overall, China accounted for nearly 22 percent of the new cancer cases in the world, and 26 percent of the cancer-related deaths worldwide.

As of 2012, 14 million cancer cases were recorded, and 8.2 million deaths were registered. China registered 3 million new cancer cases and 2.2 million deaths during the same year.

The National Central Cancer Registry of China estimated that there were 3.12 million new cancer cases last year and 2 million cancer-related deaths on the mainland. That would mean one cancer death every six minutes.

Chen Wanqing, deputy director with the National Central Cancer Registry, said the cancer situation in the country is too complicated to be summarized into figures.

Based on the registry lung cancer is the top killer in China, claiming 490,000 lives annually, followed by cancers of the liver, stomach, esophagus and colon.

Experts attributed the rise in cancer cases to the sudden change of lifestyle and habits of Chinese people.