A nationwide project aiming to increase detection of and reduce
the death rate from breast cancer was launched on Thursday.
"Preventing and controlling breast cancer is a difficult and
long-term task because China has more than 300 million women at
risk, of whom the one million targeted by this program are only a
small part," said Xu Guangwei, head of the Chinese Anti-cancer
Association.
The project will select 100 hospitals from across the country to
provide breast examinations to one million women over six years,
said Xu.
The death rate from breast cancer has increased by three percent
annually in recent years, and has replaced lung cancer as having
the most rapidly growing occurrence in the country.
Xu said more than 90 percent of patients whose breast cancer is
detected early live an additional ten years, and there is less
chance that they will require a mastectomy. However, current
physical exams often miss early signs of breast cancer, so an
advanced and standardized exam is needed.
Under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, the association
set up an office to formulate standards in diagnosis methods,
services and equipment and developed a mobile vehicle for screening
and treatment.
The first group of 15 hospitals has been selected and will start
screening women in Beijing, Shanghai and ten provinces, said
Xu.
"The program sends a signal to the rest of the world that the
government is paying more attention to and making more effort to
improve people's health," said Stephen Sener, president of the
American Cancer Society.
Deaths caused by cancer have been increasing since the 1970s,
when the number was 700,000. This increased to 1.17 million in the
1990s and 1.5 million early this decade. It has now become the
leading cause of death, according to the health ministry.
Eight kinds of cancer, including lung, breast, stomach and liver
cancer, kill over 80 percent of cancer patients, and were listed as
key cancers to be curbed in the 2004-2010 National Cancer
Prevention and Control Program.?
(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2005)