The Shanghai Cancer Institute recently announced the latest rankings for the incidence of various types of cancer in the city which showed that 80 per cent of cases were closely related to the lifestyles of patients.

Cancer of the lungs, stomach, liver, gall bladder and colon made up the top five in men. In women the order was cancer of the breasts, lungs, stomach, colon and lower intestine.

Experts said that cancers whose incidence was increasing fast were breast, colon, intestine, gall bladder and lung. The incidence of cancers of the oesophagus and cervix were declining.

According to Xiang Yongbing, vice-president of the institute, the incidence of malignant cancers in Shanghai was rising. Among people between 30 and 60 years old, cancer was the main cause of death.

Yang Binghui, a professor with the Zhongshan Hospital, said that the new cancers had a relationship with the lifestyles of sufferers and could be prevented.

He said that one crucial reason for cancer was that mental factors affected the immune system.

Good living habits, reasonable meal structures and a healthy mental state were key factors to prevent cancer, Yang said.

Experts in Western countries said that because the incidence of cancer in Shanghai was becoming similar to that in developed countries, the Chinese people should stick to their own cuisine which is low in fat and energy.

(Shanghai Star  April 19, 2004)