China sees the largest number of new colorectal cancer cases annually in the world
An intestinal tumor consultation center was established in Shanghai by Changzheng Hospital and iKang Healthcare Group on Monday.
The center is set up to increase public awareness about intestinal tumor prevention and control and offer professional consultation on early screening and diagnosis, especially among those with high risk, medical experts said.
Colorectal cancer is on the rise in China, where yearly cases have increased from 388,000 in 2015 to 555,000 last year with a 7.4 percent annual increase. China has become the country with the largest number of new cases annually in the world.
"Early screening and treatment is key for colorectal cancer prevention and control," said Dr Zhang Jian of Changzheng Hospital. "The five-year survival rate for those with late-stage colorectal cancer is almost zero, while 90 percent of patients can achieve long-term survival if the cancer is detected in the early stages. However, the majority of our patients are not diagnosed until the middle or terminal stages, missing the best treatment opportunity."
He said the new consultation center aims to offer health education to promote knowledge about colorectal cancer and improve public understanding of the disease.