China to draw up new cancer atlas: report  

中国将编制新版癌症地图集 重设高发重点防治区域

据科技部网站消息，2014年，科技部通过科技基础性工作专项部署了“《中国癌症地图集》编制”项目，利用科技信息技术重新绘制癌症地图，分析癌症的空间分布特征，重新设定高发地区和重点防治区域，为病因学研究提供可靠信息，以提高癌症研究和防控工作的效率和质量。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- China has started mapping the country's cancer victims via information technology, more than 40 years after old atlas on the distribution of patients who suffer malignant tumors was first issued in the 1970s, Chinanews.com reported on Monday.

News on the Ministry of Science an Technology website said the project was kicked off following a launch ceremony held at the end of last month, with a panel of experts attending.

These experts will consult the national tumor registration record, three death investigation reports and demographic data to analyze the characteristics of cancer patient geographic distribution.

Areas with high incidence of cancer will be marked for etiological research as well as prevention strategies. The new atlas will have separate pages for each county, it said.

Chinese authorities for the first time appeared to have acknowledged the existence of so-called "cancer villages" in an environmental protection plan of March 2013 after years of public speculation about the impact of pollution in certain areas.