The Health Promotion Administration (HPA) is to increase public funding for painless colonoscopy screenings for high-risk groups for colorectal cancer, HPA Director-General Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍) said.
The screenings will be offered to those aged 45 to 49, and to 40 to 44 year-olds with a first degree relative who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, in a joint effort between hospitals and health bureaus which is to launch in the second quarter of next year at the earliest, Wu said.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) is set to expand cancer screenings from next year, aiming to provide 12 million screenings by 2030, the first step towards the goal of decreasing the standardized cancer mortality rate by one-third by 2030, followed by improvements to genetic cancer screenings and funding for new cancer drugs to follow international standards, Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said today at a news conference.
Photo: Lin Chih-i, Taipei Times
Screenings for lung cancer are to be offered to those who smoke 20 packs per year or with family history of lung cancer, whilst mammograms to detect breast cancer are to be expanded to those aged 40 to 44, and 70 to 74.
Cervical cancer pap smears are to be offered every three years to 25 to 29 year-olds and one-time HPV tests are to be available for women aged 35, 45 and 65.
To combat stomach cancer, free screenings for helicobacter pylori (HP), a bacteria which affects the stomach lining, are also to be offered to 50 to 74 year-olds, Wu said.
Pilot programs for HP screenings were launched in nine counties this year, which are to be rolled out to a further 17 counties and cities next year, before being offered nationwide by 2026 at the earliest, he said.
The baby boomer generation is at an age of increased cancer rates, but individuals aged 44 to 59 in Generation X are also entering a high-risk stage, said Tony Chen (陳秀熙), a professor at National Taiwan University (NTU) College of Public Health.
Every NT$1 invested in cancer prevention initiatives yields NT$10, and the lowering of the cancer screening age aims to find pre-cancerous mutations early in Gen-Xers to prevent progression to late-stage cancer and not burden generation Y with billions of dollars in health insurance costs, Chen said.
Research shows that a biannual fecal occult blood test can reduce colorectal cancer mortality by 35 percent, while regular oral mucosal examinations can reduce mortality risk by 26 percent for men who smoke betel nut or drink, HPA Cancer Prevention and Control Division Director Lin Li-ju (林莉茹) said.
Biannual mammograms can reduce breast cancer mortality risk by 41 percent, while pap smears can reduce cervical cancer mortality risk by 70 percent, she added.
Moreover, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans and chest X-rays for lung cancer can reduce lung cancer mortality risk for smokers by 20 percent, Lin said.
In 2023, cervical cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, mouth cancer and lung cancer screenings were carried out 4.87 million times, finding 11,000 cases of cancer and 5,200 pre-cancerous mutations, saving 6,300 lives, Lin added.
PROCEDURE: Although there is already a cross-strait agreement in place for the extradition of criminals, ample notice is meant to be given to the other side first Ten Taiwanese who were involved in fraud-related crimes in China were extradited back to Taiwan via Kinmen County on Wednesday, four of whom are convicted fraudsters in Taiwan. The 10 people arrived via a ferry operating between Xiamen and Kinmen, also known as the “small three links.” The Kinmen County Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that four of the 10 extradited people were convicted in Taiwan for committing fraud and contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and were on the wanted list. They were immediately arrested upon arrival and sent to Kinmen Prison to serve their sentences following brief questioning, the office said.
Taipei and Kaohsiung have extended an open invitation to Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki after Chinese authorities abruptly canceled her scheduled concert in Shanghai. Hamasaki, 47, had been slated to perform on Saturday before organizers pulled the show at the last minute, citing “force majeure,” a move widely viewed as retaliation for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a military response from Tokyo. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday said the city “very much welcomes” Hamasaki’s return and would continue to “surprise” her. Hamasaki, who has a large global fan base, including
‘REGRETTABLE’: Travelers reported that Seoul’s online arrival card system lists Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan),’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged South Korea to correct the way Taiwan is listed in its newly launched e-Arrival card system, saying the current designation downgrades the nation’s status. South Korea rolled out the online system on Feb. 24 to gradually replace paper arrival cards, which it plans to phase out by next year. Travelers must complete the electronic form up to 72 hours before entering the country. The ministry said it has received multiple complaints from Taiwanese travelers saying that the system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for both “place of departure” and “next
VIGILANT: Enterovirus activity remains in the epidemic phase, with the CDC urging caregivers of infected children to be on the lookout for signs of severe illness Influenza activity is rising in neighboring countries, and, with temperatures forecast to drop this week, flu cases are expected to increase in the next two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. Hospitals reported 87,162 visits for flu-like illnesses between Nov. 23 and Saturday, which remained about the same level as the previous week, but nine deaths and 24 cases with serious flu complications were also confirmed last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said. Flu activity reached a peak in late September before declining for eight consecutive weeks, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠)
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