February 4th is World Cancer Day. Seven years ago, the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium adopted the Charter of Paris, which called for "an invincible alliance--between researchers, health care professionals, patients, government, industry, and media--to fight cancer and its greatest allies, which are fear, ignorance and complacency."

Cancer is a leading cause of death globally. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report last year, an estimated 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2005; more than 70% of all cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where resources available for prevention, diagnosis and treatment are limited or nonexistent.

As the most populous and the biggest developing country in the world, China's efforts in the fight against cancer are impressive and remarkable.

Built in 1958, the Cancer Institute and Hospital (CIH), which also incorporates the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), is a national center for advanced cancer research and treatment.

The Cancer Institute and Hospital is one of the collaborative centers with WHO for cancer research in China. It is rated in the top echelon for cancer prevention and treatment in Asia in terms of scale.

"In the past four decades, the CIH has received over 160 science and technology awards, among which 58 percent were given at the national- and ministry-level," said Miss Zhong Mei, Head of the Scientific Research Department of the CIH.

"Last year, for example, our research program Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and Cancer Research won the second-class prize of National Natural Science.

"In addition, several papers written by researchers from our institute were published in top international academic journals, such as Cancer Research.

"With over 100 world-class researchers and a 15 million (USD 1.8 million) RMB annual budget, the CIH plays a leading role in advancing cancer research and treatment in China.

"It is our responsibility to expand international cooperations with advanced countries such as the United States, France, German, Japan, etc., " said Miss Zhong.

In addition to scientific research, the CIH also contributes to improved and innovative treatment of cancer patients.

"The hospital, equipped with the most advanced medical equipment, such as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging Instrument (MRI), etc., accommodates over 1000 hospitalized patients, with an annual inpatient load of about 10,000 and outpatient load of about 320,000," said Miss Shen Huizhi, deputy head of Administration Office of CIH.

"Every September, in Beijing, since 1999, we have co-organized the Terry Fox Run with the Canadian Embassy to commemorate Terry Fox (a Canadian bone cancer patient who ran 4,800 km across Canada in 143 days in 1980) and raise money for cancer research in China.