Cancer tests to benefit people over 60 years old

After showing his health QR code and having his temperature checked, 66-year-old Jiang Zhiying had his examination at the Jiading Town community service center on May 14.

“Nowadays, the risk of cancer becomes higher, so early screening, early discovery and early treatment are real benefits to us,” said Jiang.

Jiang is one of the 120,000 residents in Jiading who benefit from the updated health check-up program.

Free physical examinations for senior citizens in Jiading will include three more tests for cancer compared with last year.

More than 7,000 residents from Jiading Town will be able to have a physical examination at their local community service center this year. The center will inform residents who qualify for the examinations, and they will be carried out in groups, according to Tang Wei, associate chief physician of the traditional Chinese medicine department.

In addition to the usual blood and urine tests and those for blood-glucose and liver and renal function tests, three cancer tests — alpha-fetoprotein, carcino-embryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 199 — will be included, through which doctors can discover cancers at an early stage.

“Some residents suggested controling or curing cancer through testing more cancer items last year, and since then we have adopted the advice,” said Wang Tao, chief of Jiading Health Commission’s elderly health department. 

“The number of the tests are much more than the city’s requirement,” Wang added.

Blood samples are sent to Jiading Central Hospital for testing.

“If the tests show any abnormality, family doctors will tell patients that they will need more tests to confirm the results,” said Tang. “If a patient is diagnosed with a tumor, their information will be recorded on the cancer management system.”

Permanent residents over 65, “1+1+1” residents — those who sign with one family doctor, one district-level hospital and one city-level hospital and are 60 to 64 years old, and residents with only one child who is either disabled or dead all qualify for the free examinations.

Residents without permanent residency can use the family doctor service after submitting their medical card, ID card and residence permit to their community health service centers to qualify for annual health checks.