Early cancer testing urged despite growing awareness

Despite an increased awareness of cancer among older adults in China, it is important to step up early screenings for certain types, such as prostate cancer, to curb rising incidences, according to a recent report and experts.

A rapidly aging population and changes in lifestyles have elevated cancer rates and related deaths in China. It is estimated that 2022 saw more than 4.8 million cancer cases, and nearly 2.6 million related mortalities, and incidence rates began rising significantly among those in their late 30s.

According to a report, 85.8 percent of surveyed urban residents age 45 and older said that they are concerned about the risk of being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer of the lungs, stomach and liver are their biggest fears. These three types are also among the top five most common cancers in the nation, according to the report released on the sidelines of an event held by Chinese Aging Well Association on Friday.

Moreover, more than 96 percent of surveyed men and women said they believe in the importance of cancer screenings, and more than 80 percent said they have undergone such tests.

Women and high-income groups exhibit a stronger willingness to take screening examinations.

While screenings for lung, liver and stomach cancer are the most prevalent, the report has called attention to the relatively low screening rates for prostate cancer and cervical cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in two-thirds of the countries across the globe. In China, the incidence rate is lower than that in developed Western countries, but the rate has been on the rise in recent years.

Xing Nianzeng, vice-president of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that the incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased by about 7 percent annually in recent years. However, the five-year survival rate of the disease in China is around 70 percent, lower than the nearly 100 percent in developed countries.

"There is a very simple and sensitive test called the PSA test, or prostate-specific antigen test, which only requires collecting a small amount of blood," he said.

"Abnormal test results signify that the man should go through further examinations.

"It is important to raise awareness of early screening among high-risk groups," he added.

Experts suggested men age 50 and above take the test every two years, and those with a family history of prostate cancer are advised to have the test done annually starting at 45 years old.

Gao Jie, chief physician at hepatobiliary surgery department at Peking University People's Hospital, said during an interview with The-Paper.cn that about 70 percent of liver cancer patients are at an advanced or late stage when seeking treatment, and only 30 percent see a doctor at an early stage.

Early screenings and diagnoses will play a significant role in tackling cancer, he added.