Nation's insights on cancer treatment published

A guideline on cancer treatment in China has been released in 17 languages, detailing insights from 13,000 Chinese clinicians, researchers and scientists, and aiming to provide potential benefits for international communities.

According to Fan Daiming, council chairman of the China Anti-Cancer Association, the publication — CACA Technical Guideline for Holistic Integrative Management of Cancer — was first published in Chinese in September.

The publication has gained global attention, with over 2.6 billion hits online since its release, said Fan at the 2023 Chinese Congress of Holistic Integrative Oncology in Tianjin on Saturday.

"Chinese anti-cancer efforts are not solely reliant on Western methods and have developed unique solutions addressing the disease. These publications have not only met the gaps between China and the West, but are expected to benefit international communities," said Fan.

China has a high cancer rate with 4 million new cases annually and 8,000 deaths per day caused by cancers, according to the association.

"The analysis and treatment methods in China have raised global awareness, drawing worldwide attention to the country's continually improving treatment levels," he added.

One example of China's contribution to cancer treatment is traditional Chinese medicine, which is included as a chapter in the guideline. Additionally, Chinese methods for treating breast cancer in younger women are highlighted.

The guideline also includes advanced liver cancer prevention and treatment methods used in China.

Lu Wei, Party chief of the Cancer Hospital and Institute of Tianjin Medical University, said: "Liver cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers affecting the health of Chinese people. The hospital is incorporating state-of-the-art techniques to assist patients, especially those affected by liver cancer."

The guideline, contributed to by 13,000 leading Chinese doctors and professors, covers 53 types of cancer and 60 diagnostic techniques. Since its publication, it has been introduced to 222 Chinese universities and promoted internationally.

Jeff Dunn Ao, president of the Union for International Cancer Control, sent a congratulatory video message to the CACA and the congress, expressing his deep appreciation for their ongoing partnership and collaboration.

"The association's initiatives, activities and advocacy efforts have greatly benefited from the support from the CACA," he said.

The congress was one of the largest events of its kind in China and the world. It was held concurrently in Tianjin as the main venue and in sub-venues in 32 provinces and autonomous regions, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. The event attracted over 300,000 participants online and offline.

Last month, 13 government authorities unveiled an action plan to lengthen China's anti-cancer campaign from 2023 to 2030.

The plan aims to improve China's cancer prevention and control system by strengthening the comprehensive control of risk factors, and enhancing cancer screening, early diagnosis and treatment capabilities.

It also aims to improve standardized diagnosis and treatment levels and effectively curb the increasing trend in cancer incidence and mortality rates.

The target is to achieve an overall five-year survival rate of 46.6 percent and effectively reduce the disease burden on patients.