Breast cancer awareness in the spotlight at event

The public service event was held in Beijing to call for people to pay attention to female breast cancer patients, with patients sharing their stories of fighting cancer and experts delivering keynote speeches about treatment of the disease.

In December 2020, the International Agency for Research on Cancer revealed that the global cancer burden was estimated to have risen to 19.3 million new cases and 10 million deaths in 2020. One in five people worldwide develop cancer during their lifetime, and one in eight men and one in 11 women dies from the disease.

For the first time, female breast cancer was estimated to be the most common cancer worldwide, followed by lung cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and stomach cancer.

"The annual new cases of breast cancer in China reached about 400,000. It's important for all females to take screening, diagnosis and treatment at an early time," Jiang Zefei, vice-chairman of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology, said at the event.

He said breast cancer, if found at an early stage, is treatable. China has introduced effective overseas medicine for the treatment and developed new treatment theories, such as those based on targeted screening.

"The survival rate of breast cancer patients can be enhanced greatly via early screening. For example, the survival rate of early breast cancer patients within five years is nearly 100 percent," said Zhang Ligang, founder and CEO of Aikang Group, a Beijing-based conglomerate involved in medical investment and management.

"Having a regular health check-up is a vital way of diagnosis of early breast diseases," he said.

He suggests Chinese women have an annual breast screening beginning at age 35. For those older than 35, with a family history of breast cancer, they should be screened every six months. For those with BRCA variants (the genetic risk factors for hereditary breast cancer), they should start screening at age 20.

Shi Anli, a board director of the China Anti-Cancer Association, said many cancer patients have been actively treated, taken exercise, adjusted their daily schedules and paid more attention to diet and nutrition.

The Beijing Love Book Cancer Foundation established a breast cancer recovery center in 2020 to train patients to join anti-cancer charity projects.

Shi said she's met many optimistic cancer patients who are striving to seek a full life – some have returned to their careers after treatment, and some have become engaged in anti-cancer public service.