Cancer is the second leading killer for local residents

The five most prevalent cancers in the city are lung cancer, colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer, stomach cancer and breast cancer, Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission said as National Tumor Prevention and Control Week kicked off on Sunday.

Cancer is the second leading killer of local residents, with the five biggest killers being lung cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer and pancreas cancer.

A healthy lifestyle and early screening are key for cancer prevention and control, the authority said. After carrying out colorectal cancer screening in the city, over half of the cases are detected in the early stage.

In addition to adults, tumors have also become the second leading cause of death for children, following accidents, medical experts said.

Doctors said the public have poor awareness of children’s tumors, even though they have become a leading killer. 

About 60 percent of children’s tumors are solid, requiring treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, immunity therapy and stem cell transplant.

“Many people think tumors are a disease only related with elderly people, while some believe children with tumors can’t survive for a long time,” said Dr Yuan Xiaojun, director of pediatric oncology department from Shanghai’s Xinhua Hospital. “Actually, the treatment effect for children’s cancer is much better than adults — if there is no relapse within five years, the patient will have a very slim chance of having a relapse in the future.”

The treatment of children’s leukemia has greatly improved over the past few years, while treatment for children’s solid tumors lags behind that of leukemia. 

Local children’s hospitals have set up multidisciplinary teams with the participation of various departments for solid tumor treatment to improve survival and the recovery rate of patients.