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National Cancer Control Programs

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National R&D Program for Cancer Control

Eliminating cancer through : Prevention, Early Detection, Palliative Care, ResearchEvery year, approximately 225,000 people are diagnosed with cancer and 76,000 people die of cancer in Korea. Cancer became the first leading cause of death in Korea in 1983. Cancer mortality has been steadily increasing over the last two decades and cancer deaths accounted for 28.2% of all deaths in 2010, which means that one in every four Koreans becomes a victim of this life-threatening disease.

Stomach, colorectum, lung and liver are four most common primary sites of cancer in Korean men, accounting for almost two-thirds of all cancer burden. Stomach, breast, colorectal, cervix, lung, and liver cancers constitute two-thirds of the total cancers in Korean women.
In contrast to the relatively low cancer incidence reported in Globocan 2002, the overall age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) in Korean men are now higher than the world averages and are similar to those reported in northern Europe. However, Korean women still overall have a ASR similar to the world average and lower than those reported in Europe. In both sexes, ASRs of stomach, colon and rectum, liver, lung and thyroid cancers are higher than the world averages.
Considering the magnitude of the rising incidence and mortality, cancer is currently one of the most pressing public health problems facing Korea, and the ageing of the Korean population will cause these numbers to continue to increase even if age-specific rates remain constant.

Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Korea since the First 10-year Plan for Cancer Control in Korea initiated by the government, the NCC Cancer Control Institute operates and supports the national cancer control programs, including the National Cancer Information Center, Quitline, National Cancer Screening Program, and the Regional Cancer Centers. With the plan's implementation, the 5-year survival rate of cancer patients in Korea has improved to 69.4%.
- Cancer Control Policy in Korea
In response to the growing cancer burden at the government level, the National Cancer Center was founded in March 2000 as a government-funded institution devoted to research, patient care, education & training in cancer. The Cancer Control Act, another important legal framework for controlling cancer in Korea, was legislated in 2003. This law authorizes the Health & Welfare Minister to formulate and implement cancer control programs and promote international collaboration as well. In early 2006, the Second 10-year Plan for Cancer Control in Korea for the next ten years(2006-2015) was forged to strengthen the cancer control efforts at the government level within the following framework:

Research topics by field

Research on Cancer Basic, Translational, Clinical, Policy Supportive Program(Understand cancer biology / pathology, Develop new diagnosis & treatment, Provide evidence for policymakers) / Education & Advocating, Registry & Evalution, Expanding Capacities / Quality of Life(Onset, Symptomatic, Progression, Survive, Death, Healthy) / Primary Prevention, Primary Prevention, Diagnosis & Treatment, Palliative Care, Main Program / Lncidence, Motality, Survival  - Reduction of Cancer Burden


Research topics by field
Program Descriptions Start Year Implementing
Agency
National R&D
Program for
Cancer Control
This cancer-oriented R&D program supports R&D activities of industry, academia and research
institutes by providing them with grants.
It finances a wide range of cancer topics from
basic, translational to clinical research.
1996 Nat'l Cancer
Control Planning
Board
National Cancer
Registration Program
Started as KCCR, this program registers detailed
information on cancer cases from more than 180
training hospitals across the country every year.
It also supports the regional cancer registries
technically and financially. KCCH publishes a
national cancer incidence by collecting and
analyzing the hospital-registered data
1980 Korea Central
Cancer Registry
(KCCR)
National Cancer
Screening Program
The Program provides targeted population with
free screening services for five common cancers
- stomach, liver, colorectum, breast, and
cervixuteri.
1999 Supporting Committee for Cancer
Screening Program
Cancer Patients
Management
Programs
- Program
1: A variety of medical care services are provided to low-income cancer patients free of charge by health care providers in the public health centers. The services include consultations and pain
control.
2004 -
- Program
2: A terminal cancer patient care initiative was
introduced to help palliative care units improve
the quality of palliative care.
2005
Regional Cancer
Center Support
Program
This was designed to reduce regional disparity
in cancer care by designating hospitals in the
provinces as Regional Cancer Centers (RRCs).
The government supports each RRC to help it to
strengthen its cancer care infrastructure.
2004 Steering Committee for Regional
Cancer Center
Financial Aid
Program for Cancer
Patients
Started with leukemia patients under 18, this
financial support program aims to relieve
low-income patent's financial burden.
2002 -
Cancer Information
Center

Quit Smoking
Call Center
- National
Cancer Information Center: it provides the general public with evidence-based cancer information
through a call center, web site, and publications
2005 Nat'l Cancer Info. CTR
- Tobacco
Quitline Program: This call center helps smokers quit smoking by offering evidence-based
information on the harmful effects of smoking
and some practical recommendations on hwo to quit smoking
2006 Tobacco Quitline
Program