Cancer Control Activities in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

South Korea has a population of 47.3 million. The whole population is covered by a mandatory social insurance system (the National Health Insurance Program) that is financed through the contributions paid by the insured and their employers. Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Korea since 1983. About 130 000 people develop cancer annually with 66 000 deaths in 2006. Cancer patients' 5-year survival rates between 1998 and 2002 were 37.8 and 57.0% for men and women, respectively. The five leading primary cancer sites were stomach, lung, liver, colon and rectum, and bladder among males, whereas the most common cancers were stomach, breast, colon and rectum, uterine cervix and lung among females. With the rapidly aging population, reducing cancer burden at the national level has become one of the major political issues in Korea. The government formulated its first 10-year plan for cancer control in 1996. In 2000, the National Cancer Center was created and the Cancer Control Division was set up within the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Cancer Control Act was legislated in 2003. Korea's major national cancer control programs are anti-smoking campaigns, hepatitis B virus vaccination, cancer registration and networking, promotion of R&D activities for cancer control, education and training for cancer control and prevention, operation of the national cancer information center, operation of the mass screening program for five common cancers, management of cancer patients at home, financial support for cancer patients and designation of regional cancer centers.

Increasing uptake of colorectal cancer screening in Korea: a population-based study

“…Of the respondents, this study analyzed data from cancer-free male and female subjects aged ≥50 years, the NCSP's recommended starting age for CRC screening among persons at average risk [15]. Further, respondents (n = 42) who had undergone CRC screening because of a health problem or as a follow-up to a previously identified colorectal problem were excluded from the analysis since the focus of the study is on routine screening.…”

“…In 2004, the Korean government also introduced nationwide CRC screening as part of the National Cancer Screening Programme (NCSP) for low-income groups. Due to capacity related to performing colonoscopy screenings on every age-eligible person, the NCSP provides an annual FOBT (immunochemical) test as the initial mass screening method for men and women ≥50 years instead of colonoscopy [15]. The NCSP provides further investigation with a colonoscopy or DCBE for any low-income individual with a positive FOBT result.…”

Knowledge, attitudes, risk perception, and cancer screening behaviors among cancer survivors

“…Because to our knowledge there is no consensus regarding the optimal cancer screening strategy in Korean cancer survivors, an operational definition of appropriate screening in the current study was developed based on the National Cancer Screening Program in Korea, 28 but modified in consideration of other relevant cancer screening guidelines, [29][30][31][32] epidemiological evidence from cancer survivors 4,33 and Asians, 19,34,35 and current cancer screening practices in Korea (Table 2). 36 Recommendations for screening from physicians were also ascertained for cancer screening behaviors.…”

Impacts of Household Income and Economic Recession on Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening in Korea

“…In order to support lower income group and increase the participation rate of cancer screening, the Korean government has introduced the organized cancer screening programs (including stomach, breast, and cervix) as National Cancer Screening Programs (NCSP) apart from opportunistic cancer screening since 1999 (Yoo, 2008). The NCSP has continued to expand its coverage and target cancers.…”

“…While individuals who uptake an opportunistic cancer screening (including flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy for CRC screening) have to pay all cost, the NCSP currently provides those organized screening without charge for lower 50 percentile income bracket and Medical aid recipients (i.e. fecal occult blood test for CRC screening) (Korea National Cancer Information Center, 2011;Yoo, 2008).…”