Survival rates increase for patients at Shanghai Cancer Center

The three-year and five-year survival rates of cancer patients diagnosed and treated at Shanghai Cancer Center have reached 77.4 percent and 71 percent respectively, in line with leading cancer facilities in the West, the hospital announced in a report issued on Thursday.

Over 200,000 patients were diagnosed and treated at the hospital from 2008 to 2017, and researchers followed these patients to assess their long-term recovery.

“The report covers patients with over 10 types of cancer, including breast, lung, pancreas and prostate. Different types of cancer have different survival rates,” said Guo Xiaomao, president of Shanghai Cancer Center. “For patients diagnosed with breast cancer and pancreatic cancer, five-year survival is 90 percent and 11.4 percent respectively. Though there is huge difference, both survival rates are in line with international standards.”

“Early screening, detection and proper treatment are key to cancer prevention and control. Most patients can achieve good results from regular and appropriate treatment,” Guo said.

Doctors said that treatment efficacy has been rising in China and the five-year survival for many types of cancer is increasing steadily.

“In addition to early screening and early treatment, precise treatment based on molecular classification for more targeted treatment helps improve treatment effects,” said Dr Shao Zhimin, director of the hospital’s breast surgery department.

Patients have greatly benefited from the introduction of more comprehensive therapies and improved surgical methods, doctors said.

The hospital is also devoted to promoting early screening and early detection of cancer. “We are promoting screening for breast cancer and lung cancer to help more patients detect these diseases in their early stages. Patients with early-stage breast cancer can achieve a 98 percent five-year survival rate, while CT scanning can detect early lung cancer,” Guo said. “People over 40 should receive anti-cancer health checks annually for early detection and treatment. Cancer will become a preventable and treatable chronic disease in the future.”