Craif Inc., a provider of urine-based cancer risk testing, held a cancer awareness event on April 23, 2026, at KKR Hotel Fukuoka in Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, as part of its pancreatic cancer awareness project
Craif Inc., a provider of urine-based cancer risk testing, held a cancer awareness event on April 23, 2026, at KKR Hotel Fukuoka in Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, as part of its pancreatic cancer awareness project. The event, titled “Fukuoka Central Hospital Director × Fukuoka Sanno Hospital Pancreatic Cancer Specialist: Learn About Advanced Preventive Medicine and Future Cancer Measures,” featured Dr. Hiroyoshi Yokoi, director of Fukuoka Central Hospital, and Dr. Tetsuhide Ito of Fukuoka Sanno Hospital, who explained advanced preventive medicine in the Fukuoka region as well as the challenges and countermeasures related to pancreatic cancer. Craif CTO Hiroki Ichikawa also presented the potential of early cancer detection using advanced technology. Dr. Yokoi introduced the concept of turning hospitals into places where citizens can learn about health before becoming ill, emphasizing proactive preventive medicine using the latest technologies. He said Fukuoka Central Hospital will accept patients assessed as high risk through MySignal and provide follow-up using advanced CT and MRI systems. Dr. Ito noted that cancer screening rates in Fukuoka Prefecture remain among the lowest in Japan and warned that pancreatic cancer is often detected too late for effective treatment. He stressed that detecting tumors at 1 cm or smaller, or at early stages, can raise the five-year survival rate to around 80%. He also discussed research on urine microRNA detection for early pancreatic cancer and said plans are underway to follow up with patients assessed as high risk by MySignal. Craif said MySignal Scan evaluates the risk of 10 cancer types, including pancreatic cancer, by extracting microRNA from urine and analyzing it with AI. The test has been introduced at nearly 2,500 medical institutions across Japan. In Fukuoka Prefecture, it is available at more than 70 medical institutions and is rapidly expanding to over 500 drugstores and dispensing pharmacies. Craif plans to continue working with medical institutions, companies, universities, and local government bodies in Fukuoka to build a regional model for early cancer detection.
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: Event
FAQ
When and where did Craif Inc. hold its pancreatic cancer awareness event, and what was the event’s full title?
The event took place on April 23, 2026, at the KKR Hotel Fukuoka in Chuo‑ku, Fukuoka, and was titled “Fukuoka Central Hospital Director × Fukuoka Sanno Hospital Pancreatic Cancer Specialist: Learn About Advanced Preventive Medicine and Future Cancer Measures.”
Which medical professionals presented at the event, and what specific topics did Dr. Hiroyoshi Yokoi and Dr. Tetsuhide Ito discuss regarding preventive medicine and pancreatic cancer?
Dr. Hiroyoshi Yokoi, director of Fukuoka Central Hospital, explained a vision of turning hospitals into places where citizens can learn about health before illness and described proactive preventive medicine using the latest technologies, while Dr. Tetsuhide Ito of Fukuoka Sanno Hospital highlighted the low cancer‑screening rates in Fukuoka Prefecture, warned that pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed too late, and emphasized that detecting tumors one centimeter or smaller can raise five‑year survival to about 80%.
What role does Craif’s MySignal Scan play in early pancreatic cancer detection, and how many medical institutions have adopted this urine‑based test as of the event?
MySignal Scan evaluates the risk of ten cancer types, including pancreatic cancer, by extracting micro‑RNA from urine and analysing the data with artificial intelligence, and the test has been introduced at nearly 2,500 medical institutions across Japan as reported at the April 2026 event.
According to Dr. Tetsuhide Ito, what is the estimated five‑year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients when tumors are detected at one centimeter or smaller, and how does this compare to general outcomes in Japan?
Dr. Tetsuhide Ito stated that if pancreatic tumours are found at one centimetre or smaller, the five‑year survival rate can rise to roughly eighty percent, which is substantially higher than the typical survival outcomes for patients diagnosed at later stages in Japan.
How will Fukuoka Central Hospital utilize the results from Craif’s MySignal Scan for patients identified as high risk, and what advanced imaging technologies are mentioned for follow‑up care?
Fukuoka Central Hospital will accept patients classified as high risk by Craif’s MySignal Scan and will provide follow‑up examinations using advanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, as described by Dr. Hiroyoshi Yokoi at the awareness event.