One hundred and fifty-two oncologists from across China formed a working group on Friday to identify genetic faults that can increase the risk of cancer.
The group plans to set up a national database of patients who might have developed cancer because of faulty genes.
They will then compile the country’s first clinical guidelines on hereditary cancer and assess the effectiveness of targeted cancer therapies designed to destroy certain types of the faulty genes.
Beijing Cancer Hospital President Ji Jiafu said breast, ovarian and gastric cancer patients tend to have strong family history of the disease, but more research needs to be done.
He said people with faulty genes are more likely to develop cancer at a younger age and do not necessarily show early signs of illness. The identification of these genes may help people born with higher cancer risks detect cell mutation at an earlier stage.
Early intervention is vital in curing certain types of cancer, most notably glandular and breast cancer, and is helpful in improving quality of life for patients with most other types of cancer.
Latest statistics from national tumor register center shows that 271 in every 100,000 people develop cancer in China. In 2013 alone, 2.2 million Chinese died of cancer. Lung, liver and gastric cancer were the top three killers.
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