Abstract: Objective The study was conducted to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of malignant tumors and related death cases in Yuzhong county,Gansu province.Methods The data of death cases due to malignancy collected in the death causes surveillance sites from 1997 to 2006 in the county were numbered,classified,and statistically summarized,the mortality rates were calculated in terms of gender,age and type of malignancy.Results The standardized mortality rate of malignant tumors was 97.79/lakh in the county from 1997 to 2006,ranking second in all causes of death.The male to female ratio was 1.57:1.The age distribution of death from malignancy revealed a relatively low death rate in the 40-year-old group,whereas the mortality gradually increased along with age in the 40-year-old group.The top five malignant tumors regarding the mortality rate in the decade were gastric cancer,liver cancer,lung cancer,esophageal cancer and colorectal cancer,accounting for 82.90 percent of all death cases due to malignancy.The mortality rate was contributed mainly by gastrointestinal tumors,according to the epidemiological analysis of major malignancies,while the mortality of liver cancer and lung cancer presented to be increasing by year.Conclusion Malignancies were the significant cause of death in Yuzhong county,especially stomach cancer,liver cancer and lung cancer.It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of malignant cancer,to make greater efforts in publicity and health education and to enhance the anti-cancer awareness of inhabitants in rural areas.