2009 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 117-125
In the Cancer Control Promotion Act passed in 2007, the Japanese Government aimed to increase the rate of participation in mass screening for cancers (breast cancer, colon cancer, etc,) to more than 50% within 5 years. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare derived a new estimate in 2009 to increase the participation rate through projects such as (1) raising the screening participation rate for the working population by cooperation with companies, (2) to assist the activity of prefectural health centers, (3) to draw up a model plan to assist several large cities in popularizing the importance of cancer mass screening in busy places such as leisure centers, supermarkets and commercial areas, (4) to encourage family doctors to explain about cancer screening to female patients to promote health, (5) to assist with the dissemination of information that mass screening is useful for reducing the cancer death rate, and (6) to assist the leadership of the National Cancer Center for increasing the quality of activity at municipal health centers.
Hereafter we intend to coordinate activity with the Japan Association of Breast Cancer to create a society that knows about cancer, is able to face cancer, and is not defeated by the disease by fully utilizing all available activities against cancer. We hope that the entire nation, including patients with advanced cancer and those with recurrent cancer, will be able to obtain more satisfactory treatment.
