FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1981
CANCER STILL OUR MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEM
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IE OUT OF THREE PERSONS ALIVE TODAY IN HONG KONG WOULD DEVELOP CANCER, WARNED THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. TENG, THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING IN HIS
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-CANCER S.CIETY.
CANCER HAS REMAINED OUT MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEM CLAIMING 6 420 LIVES LAST YEAR, OR 25 PER CENT OF TOTAL DEATHS, HE SAID.
DR THONG POINTED OUT THAT TO COMBAT CANCER, LIKE ANY OTHEP DISEASE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RECOGNISE WAYS OF PREVENTION, AND TO IMPROVE DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR WHICH TH ANTI-CANCER SOCIETY HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ON THE PREVENTIVE SIDE, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN OPERATING A CANCER REGISTRY AT ITS INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY, WHICH COLLECTS DATA ON CANCER CASES FROM MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS AND HOSPITALS.
ALL INFORMATION COLLECTED ARE KEPT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE TO BE USED IN PLANNING CANCER RESEARCH, PREVENTIVE MEASURES DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT FACILITIES, HE SAID
AND
HE ADDED THAT THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT, WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE SOCIETY, MOUNTED A NUMBER OF EXHIBITIONS WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF DISSEMINATING CANCER INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
DR THONG EXPLINED THAT THE RADIATION BOARD, WHICH IS A STATUTORY BODY, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE PROPER AND SAFE USE OF IONISING RADIATION, A KNOWN CANCER-CAUSING AGENT, IN MEDICAL AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS.
IN THE FIELD OF DIAGNOSIS, HE SAID, THE INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY HAS ALSO CARRIED OUT RESEARCH TO DEVELOP A SIMPLE SEROLOGICAL TEST, FINANCED BY THE SOCIETY, FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA, A COMMON CANCER IN SOUTHERN CHINESE.
*THE TEST IS SENSITIVE ENOUGH FOR DETECTING SEVERAL CASES BEFORE THE INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED SYMPTOMS, HE REMARKED.
ON THE QUESTION OF TREATMENT, DR. THONG SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO THE ISTING FACILITIES, THERE WOULD BE A DEPARTMENT OF RADIOTHERAPY ND ONCOLOGY WITH THREE LINEAR ACCELERATORS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT IN THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL.
..
BESIDES THE RECENT INSTALLATION OF A NEW LINEAR ACCELERATOR AT THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL, PLANS TO EXPAND THE DEPARTMENT T HOUSE ANOTHER LINEAR ACCELERATOR AND A CATHETRON FOR THE RE OF UTERINE CANCER ARE ALSO IN THE PIPELINE.
INT
/... HO.G