Asian countries should establish a regional cancer registration center to strengthen academic exchanges and training in the fields of cancer prevention and treatment, a senior Chinese expert suggests.

Zhao Ping, President of the Cancer Institute and Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CIH), made the remarks at the Third Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA), a regional cooperative network for cancer, in Beijing on October 24.

Zhao said the National Cancer Center of China was launched in 2003 by the Ministry of Health, and has been approved by the Chinese Government. It aims to enhance the national cancer registration system, provide health education for at-risk groups, and promote early detection and treatment.

"Asia's success will be a reliable guarantee of the success of the WHO Global Action Plan Against Cancer," Zhao said. "Therefore, it requires us to unite and work together to promote the anti-cancer campaign in Asia to a new stage."

Zhao made a three-point proposal for further cooperation among Asian countries. First, more Asian countries should be invited to join the ANCCA. Second, the headquarters of ANCCA should be set up to coordinate the anti-cancer affairs of each national cancer center. Third, economically advanced ANCCA members should assist their developing counterparts in order to strengthen cooperation among Asian national cancer centers.

Representatives from all eight members of the ANCCA--India, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand and China--attended this year's meeting. In addition, representatives from Australia, Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey also attended the meeting as observers, some of whom have already submitted applications to join the ANCCA.

The first ANCCA meeting was held in Seoul, Korea in 2005 and the second was held in Tokyo, Japan in 2007.