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)