MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1981
7
NEED FOR CANCER EDUCATION STRESSED
***
AS MOST CANCER CASES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, PERSONAL HABITS AND DIET, HEALTH EDUCATION ON CANCER PREVENTION
IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE YOUNGER GENERATION.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, WHEN HE OPENED THE ASIAN REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR CANCER EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS THIS MORNING.
THE THREE-DAY WORKSHOP IS ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG ANTI-CANCER SOCIETY UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION AGAINST CANCER TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF CANCER EDUCATION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF INCORPORATING IT INTO THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM.
OVER 90 PROFESSIONALS IN THE MEDICAL AND EDUCATION FIELD FROM THE WESTERN PACIFIC COUNTRIES AND FROM HONG KONG TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOP.
DR THONG POINTED OUT IN HIS ADDRESS THAT CANCER REMAINS THE TOP KILLER DISEASE IN HONG KONG, ACCOUNTING FOR 25 PER CENT OF TOTAL DEATHS IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR.
HE SAID THAT IN THE PAST MOST RESOURCES WERE DIVERTED TO IMPROVEMENTS ON DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT FACILITIES, AND LITTLE ATTENTION WAS ACCORDED TO CANCER PREVENTION AS IT WAS ERRONEOUSLY THOUGHT THAT LESS THAN 10 PER CENT OF HUMAN CANCERS WERE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ORIGIN.
+ IT IS NOW FAIRLY CLEAR FROM CURRENT BASIC AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BETWEEN 70 AND 90 PER CENT OF HUMAN CANCER IS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, DETERMINED BY ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES THAT ARE AMENABLE TO CONTROL AT GOVERNMENTAL OR PERSONAL LEVELS, HE SAID,
DR THONG SAID THAT CERTAIN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE ALREADY KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON LARGE-SCALE HAZARDS, SUCH AS THE LIABILITY OF EXPOSURE TO CANCER-PRODUCING AGENTS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND IN FOODS AND DRUGS.
HE SAID CANCER WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ORIGIN CONSTITUTED ONLY A VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF ALL CANCERS AND THE MAJORITY OF CANCER
IS IN FACT ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONAL LIFE STYLES, SUCH AS SMOKING AND FOOD HABITS.
+WE HAVE A DUTY TO OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE RISK INVOLVED BEFORE THEY DEVELOP HABITS WHICH ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR HEALTH, HE STRESSED.
ALSO OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY WERE THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR C.H. HAYE, THE CHAIRMAN OF UICC PROGRAMME ON SMOKING AND CANCER, DR NIGEL GRAY AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-CANCER SOCIETY, DR H.C. HO.
18