AstraZeneca Hosts Cross-Cancer Satellite Symposium at CSCO to Enhance 5-Year Survival Rates

Xiamen, September 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca hosted a cross-cancer satellite symposium at the 22nd CSCO Annual Conference. Experts from multiple oncology fields engaged in high-level discussions on precision diagnosis and treatment, as well as integrated diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, for various cancers including lung cancer and breast cancer. The event aimed to call for strengthened early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment among high-risk populations, further enhance China’s cancer prevention and control capabilities, improve the five-year survival rate of cancer patients, and jointly promote the implementation of the “Healthy China 2030” strategic plan.

Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of the National Cancer Center, and President of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor He Jie; Chairman of the CSCO and Professor Li Jin from Shanghai East Hospital; Professor Cheng Ying from Jilin Province Cancer Hospital; Professor Zhang Li from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; Professor Shao Zhimin from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center; Professor Xu Binghe from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Professor Wu Jiong from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center; Professor Yin Yongmei from Jiangsu Province People’s Hospital; and Professor Wang Jie from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, along with other experts from various fields of oncology, as well as Mr. Wang Lei, Global Executive Vice President and President of International Business and China at AstraZeneca, and Ms. Yin Min, General Manager of the Oncology Business Unit at AstraZeneca China, jointly attended this satellite symposium.

Advocate Early Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment for High-Risk Populations

At today’s satellite symposium, experts from various cancer specialties highlighted a common theme: emphasizing early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment for high-risk populations. Taking lung cancer as an example, nearly 80% of patients in China are diagnosed at middle or late stages, resulting in a poor prognosis with an average 5-year survival rate of only 16.1%. If detected at Stage I and treated according to standardized protocols, the 5-year survival rate can be significantly increased to 70–90%. Therefore, implementing early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment for high-risk groups is a crucial prerequisite for improving the 5-year survival rate for cancer.

For high-risk individuals aged 45 and older, low-dose spiral CT is currently the most effective method for early lung cancer screening.One of, with an early-stage cancer detection rate as high as 94.1%. For individuals aged 45 and above, as well as those who are long-term smokers or exposed to secondhand smoke, annual screening is recommended, along with targeted follow-up monitoring, to truly achieve early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment of lung cancer.

Actively Promote the Development of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment

As research into tumor driver genes continues to deepen, cancer treatment has entered the era of precision diagnosis and therapy. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 80% to 85% of all lung cancer cases, and about 30% to 40% of NSCLC patients in China harbor EGFR mutations. The advent of first- and third-generation targeted therapies for lung cancer has brought longer survival benefits to a broad population of patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, contributing to a comprehensive improvement in the 5-year survival rate for lung cancer patients.

Women’s health is also an area of significant concern for all stakeholders. The treatment of female cancers, represented by breast and ovarian cancer, has evolved continuously over the past few decades. As 70% of breast cancer patients are hormone receptor-positive, endocrine therapy offers a safer and more effective treatment option for these patients. Ovarian cancer, known as the “silent killer,” is often diagnosed at an advanced stage in 70% of cases. With a 70% recurrence rate and high mortality, it remains one of the most challenging gynecologic malignancies to overcome. Following the approval and market launch of targeted therapies for ovarian cancer in China last year for maintenance treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent advanced ovarian cancer, a novel treatment option has become available to a broad patient population.

Comprehensively Promote the Integrated Development of Diagnosis and Treatment

Under the traditional diagnosis and treatment model, the various stages of patient care are relatively isolated, making it difficult for patients to receive the most appropriate treatment in a timely manner. This not only causes a large number of cancer patients to miss the optimal window for treatment but also increases their financial burden and the consumption of medical resources. On the other hand, during the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation processes, patients’ physical and psychological burdens are often overlooked. Coupled with the high mobility of patients seeking medical care in China, it is challenging to implement continuous, comprehensive management, which severely impacts patients’ postoperative survival rates and quality of life.

Recently, the General Office of the National Health Commission issued the “Notice on the Standards for Establishing National Regional Medical Centers for Cancer,” with a view to further improving the top-level design of the cancer medical service system, optimizing the regional allocation of cancer medical resources, and promoting the enhancement of regional capacity for cancer medical service provision.

As a proponent of integrated diagnosis and treatment, AstraZeneca actively collaborates with cross-industry partners to leverage new technologies such as AI, 5G, and big data. This approach delivers comprehensive solutions covering the entire disease management cycle—including screening, testing, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, and rehabilitation—thereby enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency, improving the healthcare experience for both patients and providers, and contributing to improved five-year survival rates.

Currently, AstraZeneca has partnered with nearly 30 cross-sector collaborators to launch six innovative healthcare scenarios and 14 integrated diagnosis-and-treatment solutions covering the full disease journey. These include the Integrated Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, the Integrated Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, the Gastrointestinal Tumor Prevention and Treatment Center, and the Integrated Women’s Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center (covering breast and ovarian cancer), all of which are being progressively implemented.

Lei Wang, Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca and President of International Business and China, stated: “As a global biopharmaceutical company driven by science, AstraZeneca is committed to providing innovative medicines to patients while addressing the significant unmet needs that persist throughout the diagnosis and treatment journey. We actively collaborate with governments, healthcare institutions, and cross-sector partners to co-create integrated, patient-centric solutions covering the entire disease continuum. These one-stop, comprehensive services facilitate early detection, rapid and precise diagnosis, and standardized personalized treatment, complemented by immersive home-based rehabilitation experiences, thereby extending patient survival holistically. Together, we are dedicated to advancing the implementation of the ‘Healthy China 2030’ strategic plan.”