A total of 73,293 new cancer cases were recorded in 2006, with the largest number being colorectal cancer, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.
The figures mean that, on average, a new cancer patient was diagnosed every 438 seconds in 2006, up slightly from the average of 458 seconds in 2005, when 68,907 new cases were recorded, the department’s latest cancer incidence report showed.
“People are eating more fried food, canned food and oily food. This could be the main reason why colorectal cancer has become the most prevalent type of cancer,” said Chao Kun-yu (趙坤郁), DOH Bureau of Health Promotion deputy director-general. “The latest information we have is from 2006 because it takes time for hospitals to calculate the information.”
The latest statistics show that 10,248 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, compared with 10,092 people found to have liver cancer. There were 8,748 cases of lung cancer, 6,895 cases of breast cancer, 5,352 of oral cancer, 3,794 of gastric cancer, 3,073 of prostate cancer, 2,457 of skin cancer, 1,828 of cervical cancer and 1,159 with uterine cancer.
In 2005, 9,916 were diagnosed with liver cancer, while 9,604 people were found to have colorectal cancer.
The statistics also showed that a male’s chance of getting cancer was 1.4 times higher than a female’s. Of all male cancer patients aged between 25 and 44, 27 percent were diagnosed with oral cancer.
“There are still a lot of betel nut addicts out there and those aged between 25 and 44 are usually the group of males who eat the most betel nut, which also increases their risk of oral cancer,” Chao said.
Chao said that the figures for oral cancer would continue to increase over the next decade because of the popularity of betel nut.
He said the rise in the incidence of breast cancer among women is related to dietary habits of high fat and calorie intake, a growing number of overweight and obese people, a drop in the average age of the onset of menstruation and fewer childbirths.
Chao encouraged females between the ages of 50 and 69 to have a mammogram once every two years.
“It is a free service, but only 12 percent of those who qualify make use of it,” Chao said. “We may lower the target age to between 40 and 49 so we can help more women in the early stages.”
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address
RSS