Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau today chaired the 18th meeting of the Cancer Coordinating Committee to review the implementation of the Hong Kong Cancer Strategy and discuss response measures with government departments and organisations.

At the meeting, members reviewed and studied the progress of various cancer prevention and control measures in a number of ways.

Surveillance

The Hong Kong Cancer Registry has not only supported the evaluation of prevailing cancer screening programmes, but also ramped up the collection and compilation of cancer surveillance data.

Such action includes the provision of complete and accurate staging data on nine prevalent cancers in Hong Kong as well as stage-specific survival rates of eight cancers to enable stakeholders to make accurate judgement and strengthen cancer prevention and control.

Cancer prevention & screening

As of last December, more than 354,000 eligible individuals have joined the Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme. Among them, about 27,000 and 2,400 of the participants were diagnosed with colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancers respectively. For patients who have had their colorectal cancer detected under this screening programme, about 57% were of the early stage, namely stage II or below.

Separately, since April this year, the Department of Health has adopted the human papillomavirus testing with higher sensitivity in the cervical cancer screening services for eligible women. Moreover, the department launched the two-year Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme to provide breast cancer screening services for eligible women at its three Woman Health Centres and 18 elderly health centres.

The Government is gearing up for the next phase of breast cancer screening work and will announce the details in due course, the committee added.

Diagnosis, treatment, survivorship care

Apart from the Hospital Authority (HA) ushering in advanced and brand new medical technology and equipment based on clinical needs, the committee noted that the authority also regularly reviews and enhances the subsidised area of the HA Drug Formulary and the safety net, with a view to enhancing cancer treatment services.

To support cancer survivors, the authority will proactively develop individual cancer-based care programmes, explore the deepening of collaboration with different community partners and take forward telehealth services aimed at helping cancer survivors to live a healthy life in the community.

Research

Since the promulgation of the Hong Kong Cancer Strategy, the Health & Medical Research Fund has supported 188 investigator-initiated research projects, 10 health promotion projects, 16 Research Fellowship Scheme projects, as well as multiple commissioned research projects related to cancer and its risk factors, such as commissioned researches in evaluating the Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme.

Additionally, the committee reviewed the citywide population-based cancer data for 2020. During that year, there were 34,179 newly diagnosed cancer cases involving 16,703 men and 17,476 women. While the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases dropped by 903 from the previous year, the committee discovered that cases involving women outnumbered that of men for the first time on record.

Noting that the current data reflected the burden and prevalence of cancer in Hong Kong, the committee considered that cohorts with cancers which exhibited an increasing incidence with significant mortality warrant special attention.