A View of Cancer Treatment in the People's Republic of China

Abstract

Prior to the mid-1950s, infectious diseases, including venereal disease (now essentially eliminated), were the main causes of Chinese mortality. In 1951 cancer was ninth on the list of fatal diseases. Presently, in some areas of China it has become first. For example, in the northeast there are very distinct pockets of carcinoma of the oesophagus. In southern areas (e.g. Kwangchow) one finds high incidences of carcinoma of the nasopharynx and in eastern China a high incidence of liver cancer. Cancer investigation in these three areas is organized and pursued, for example, by the staff of the Peking Tumour Institute and Hospital.