"This One Cancer" Hardest to Survive Beyond 5 Years! NHI Releases Latest Data, Doctors Reveal: Early Detection Is Difficult, and 5 Symptoms Signal Advanced Stage

The Central Bureau of National Health Insurance (NHI) under Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare has released its first-ever 'Cancer Journey' survey report, analyzing the 5-year survival rates of 11 cancers from hospitals treating more than 100 cancer patients. The results show that breast cancer has the highest 5-year survival rate at 90.1%, indicating the best treatment outcomes. In contrast, pancreatic cancer, known as the 'king of cancers,' has the lowest 5-year survival rate at only 9.8%.

Regarding the widely discussed prostate cancer screening, the Health Promotion Administration stated it has convened expert panels to review policies and plans to launch a pilot public screening program by 2027.

The NHI's first 'Cancer Journey' survey also revealed significant hospital-level disparities in 5-year survival rates:

- Breast cancer: Highest rate 90.1%, lowest 79.7% (inter-hospital gap of 10.4 percentage points) - Prostate cancer: Highest rate 81.5% - Cervical cancer: Highest rate 71.9% - Esophageal cancer: Highest rate 18.7% - Pancreatic cancer: Highest rate 9.8% - Lung cancer: Highest rate 64.3%, lowest 22.5% (inter-hospital gap of 41.8 percentage points, the largest)

According to media reports, the NHI explained that differences in patient volume and cancer stage distribution across hospitals affect survival rates. Therefore, it will not disclose individual hospital names or publish cancer treatment rankings. Moving forward, the NHI will continue monitoring the 'cancer journey,' with a special focus on highly aggressive cancers like pancreatic and esophageal cancer that show few early symptoms, aiming to improve overall treatment quality.

Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Hard to Detect Early? Experts Explain the Challenges

According to TVBS News, Dr. Chang Chia-Lun, Deputy Medical Executive Director of the Taiwan Cancer Foundation and Director of the Hematology-Oncology Department at Wanfang Hospital, pointed out that early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are extremely subtle, and there is a lack of precise screening tools. For example, abdominal ultrasounds are often obstructed by gas in the stomach, making it difficult to detect small tumors. Traditional tumor markers also have limited sensitivity for very early-stage cancers.

Many patients only seek medical attention when symptoms such as upper abdominal pain, back pain, jaundice, grayish-white stools, or rapid weight loss appear—by which time the disease has often progressed to an advanced stage, significantly increasing treatment difficulty. The NHI stated it will continue monitoring the 'cancer journey,' particularly focusing on improving treatment quality and medical decision-making efficiency for highly malignant cancers like pancreatic and esophageal cancer.

Will Prostate Cancer Screening Be Covered Publicly? Health Promotion Administration: Pilot Program to Launch in 2027

According to media reports, the Taiwan Urological Association has repeatedly urged the government to include prostate cancer screening in the public cancer screening program. In response, the Health Promotion Administration noted that while international evidence and guidelines confirm that Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing helps in early detection, it carries risks of 'false positives' and 'overdiagnosis.' Therefore, universal screening for all men is not recommended internationally.

The Health Promotion Administration has already convened relevant experts to discuss screening policy recommendations and currently plans to launch a pilot screening program in 2027 to evaluate the optimal screening model.