BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- On a morning earlier this week at the Sichuan Cancer Hospital in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the usual quiet bustle was suddenly broken by a wave of applause and cheerful laughter.
A crowd had gathered to enjoy lively performances including crosstalk, skits and talk shows, all centered on cancer prevention. When the shows came to an end, experts from more than ten departments stepped in, offering the public face-to-face, free health consultations and cancer screenings, right on the spot.
This took place at the launch of the Sichuan branch of this year's national cancer prevention and treatment awareness week. Ranging from live performances and lectures to exhibitions, similar activities are being held across the country, aiming to help the public better understand cancer.
The theme of this year's campaign is the early prevention, screening and treatment of cancer. From national strategies to local actions, the consensus is clear: cancer control must prioritize moving the line of defense forward.
A report from the World Health Organization showed that up to four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be prevented.
This view is echoed by China's health authorities. "Cancer is not as scary as it seems. What truly matters is prevention and catching it early through screening," said Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission (NHC), at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual national legislative session in March.
He advised everyone to prevent cancer by cultivating healthy lifestyles and habits. He also recommended that high-risk individuals, such as heavy smokers and drinkers, undergo regular cancer screenings.
The country has taken a raft of measures to nip cancer in the bud.
The NHC recently issued a set of codes for a cancer-preventing healthy lifestyle, which is affectionately dubbed by netizens as the national version of the "cancer prevention manual."
Since China began its free cervical and breast cancer screenings for women in 2009, more than 300 million cervical cancer screenings and over 200 million breast cancer screenings have been conducted.
To make early cancer screening more convenient, the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, a top-notch hospital in Beijing, has introduced a one-stop early screening pathway for digestive tract cancers. The entire process, from registration to getting a gastroscopy and colonoscopy, can be done within 24 hours.
In Ganzhou, east China's Jiangxi Province, mobile CT trucks have rolled into rural villages, bringing cancer screenings directly to people's doorsteps.
With advances in medical care, many early-stage cancers can now be effectively treated. The five-year recurrence rate for early-stage lung cancer after surgery is 20 to 30 percent, while the five-year survival rate for early-stage colorectal cancer can reach 80 to 90 percent.
These efforts to enhance early detection and treatment are paying off. China's five-year cancer survival rate rose from 40.5 percent in 2015 to 43.7 percent in 2022, with a target set to achieve 46.6 percent by 2030.
To reach this target, the Chinese government considers it essential to raise public awareness about the importance of early cancer screening and treatment.
A report released by the NHC in 2024 revealed that there was still considerable room for improvement in public health awareness, and that gaps existed between urban and rural areas as well as among different regions. For example, insufficient knowledge of diseases and a lack of attention to one's own health had allowed unhealthy lifestyles to persist.
Experts believe that improving health awareness cannot be achieved overnight. It requires joint efforts from the government, communities, families and individuals alike.
"The public needs to enhance their awareness of science-based cancer prevention. We must also bring together strengths from all sectors of society to broaden the reach of cancer screening," said Liu Hongxu, director of the office of early diagnosis and treatment at the National Cancer Center. ■
