Xinmin Weekly

Research into blood cancer in China dates back to the 1950s, and, after decades of effort, treatments have gradually drawn level with developed world norms. In some areas, the country has even set its own standards after incorporating traditional Chinese therapies and botanicals into treatment programs. According to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation, there are four million blood cancer patients in China, a population that rises by 40,000 each year, with half of all patients aged under 18 and 75 percent based in rural areas. Experts say environmental pollution and genetic predisposition are mainly to blame for the prevalence of blood cancer in China, with many families bankrupted by the high cost of treatment, making the disease a serious social problem.