Chinese women are diagnosed at a younger age with breast cancer as compared to their Western counterparts, according to the country's anti-cancer association.
The average age of Chinese women being diagnosed with breast cancer is between 45 and 55 years, about 10 or even 20 years younger than their counterparts in Western countries, said Zhang Jin, vice chair of breast cancer committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association.
Zhang, also a doctor, said more than 10 per cent breast cancer patients were aged below 35 years.
Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumour among women. According to an annual cancer report, about 279,000 new breast cancer cases are reported in China each year, up more than 2 per cent each year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
If detected early, 95 per cent of breast cancer patients can be cured. However, challenges remain in rural and remote areas where patients often do not get tested until it is too late.
"Self-examination is important, but it cannot replace cancer check-ups. With improved medical technology, the treatment of breast cancer involves not only survival but also the quality of life of patients in the future," Zhang said.
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