Expert: Medical care for lymphoma improving rapidly in China

Lymphoma is presently one of the cancers with the highest control rate and cure rate in the country, said Xu Wei, a leading expert of lymphoma treatment at the Jiangsu Province Hospital.

Xu made the comment during an interview with China Daily on World Lymphoma Awareness Day, which fell on Sept 15.

She pointed out that the five-year disease-free survival rate among lymphoma patients in China is currently at 38 percent.

"In fact, in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, the cure rate for lymphoma patients has been elevated to between 60 and 70 percent, close to the levels in developed countries in the West," said Xu.

The current incidence rate of the cancer in China is around 6.68 per 100,000.

"In the future, more innovative treatment methods are encouraged to be explored in hospitals in big cities, and standard diagnosis and treatment shall be carried out in remote regions to improve the overall disease treatment level," she added.

To further enhance public awareness of lymphoma, an exhibition about the cancer was held in Shanghai from Sept 14 to 16.

Hosted by the patient community "house086" and supported by multinational pharmaceutical company Roche, the exhibition showcased the diagnosis and treatment process of lymphoma using interactive formats and highlighted how complete remission is possible through the right treatment.