Objective To investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of cancer patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) in Shenzhen. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all hospitalized cancer patients with CRF from Sept. 1999 to Aug. 2009 in our hospital. The epidemic characteristics and cancer sites in CRF patients were compared with those in non-CRF cancer patients and those from National Cancer Survey in 2006. Results In a total 2324 hospitalized CRF patients, cancers were found in 46 cases (2%), of whom 9 (19.6%) were treated with dialysis (hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis), and 35 (72.9%) were detected to have cancer within 2 years after the diagnosis of CRF. Cancers were mainly found in urological or digestive systems. The average age when the cancer was detected in CRF patients was elder than that in non-CRF cancer patients. Conclusions CRF patients are at the higher risk of developing cancers than general population. Cancer screening, especially for cancers in urological and digestive systems, should be conducted in patients of older age and diagnosed with CRF within two years.