To inform public health policy and research, we analyzed the patterns of life lost to cancers and evaluated the cancer burden in China. Based on the published Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report and related literature in 2013, we calculated the cancer-related mortality and potential years of life lost (PYLL) by age, sex, districts (urban or rural), to describe the patterns of life lost to cancers. The high death-risk cancers in China were lung, liver, stomach, esophageal, colorectal, breast, pancreatic, brain and nervous system, and ovarian cancers, and leukemia. Liver and esophageal cancers were more prominent among males, while breast and colorectal cancers were more prevalent among females. The most obvious differences of mortality between urban and rural areas were found in liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. Cancer-related mortality increased significantly after the age of 30 years, and peaking at 70-79 years. The PYLL rate of cancer in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas (21.49 vs. 19.20/1000), and significant regional and gender differences of PYLL ranks can be observed. For people aged over 60 years, cancer PYLL mainly came from lung, stomach, and esophageal cancers; for middle-aged people, it was mainly induced by liver, colorectal, and female reproductive systems' cancers; and for those under 30 years, life lost to cancer was mainly caused by leukemia and brain, nervous system cancers. Moreover, disparities in age distribution of PYLL from different regions and sexes can be found. In short, three categories of people, including those in urban areas, males and people over 60 years, were suffering from more serious cancer deaths and life lost. These variations pose considerable challenges for the Chinese health care system, and comprehensive measures are required for cancer prevention and treatment.