Exploring the Usage, Interpretation, and Implications of Disease Metaphors in Cancer Reports: A Case Analysis of the People's Daily

Cancer's invasive characteristics have been metaphorically represented for over seven decades in China. This study examines the utilization of metaphors in digital news of cancer. Its objective is to identify prevalent metaphors used in cancer reporting, the factors that influence their usage, and the social interactions that follow as a result of the depiction of cancer and cancer patients in digital news. The study utilizes a metaphorical criticism analysis method, which involves selecting language samples, identifying and categorizing metaphors, and analyzing their use and effects. The findings reveal that the cancer report of People's Daily (1949–2022) utilized seven metaphors, namely war, demon, killer, opportunistic, plague, star, and hell metaphors. Among them, the war and killer metaphors were the most frequently used. The study suggests that the prevalence of war metaphors in Chinese mainstream media can be attributed to China's historical and ideological background. Furthermore, the results indicate that the use of metaphors in cancer reporting follows a distinct pattern influenced by political and social factors across different periods.