The first breast cancer treatment and personnel training center in China was established Friday in this southwestern municipality.

The sponsors, the China Women Development Fund and the Chinese Medical Association, hope to improve the health of Chinese women, especially women living in the poor western areas.

Experts noted that the incidence of breast cancer has been on the rise over the past decade, and around 1.2 million women suffer from breast cancer each year.

In China, the incidence of breast cancer increases by 0.7-1.8 percent annually, and a survey of Beijing, Shanghai and other major big cities shows that of every 100,000 Chinese women, there will be 34 to 42 women infected by the disease.

Sun Yan, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the center will be used to train doctors and nurses to disseminate related cancer-proof measures in rural and poor areas across China, and conduct academic cooperation with domestic and foreign medical organizations.

(People's Daily 09/08/2001)