A declaration on cancer prevention and control was launched in Hong Kong on Sunday aiming to turn workplaces into a key frontline in cancer prevention, further cementing the city’s role as an international hub for knowledge transfer in the global fight against cancer.
The International Society for Oncology and Precision Treatment (ISOPT) initiated and drafted “The Cancer Alliance, Hong Kong Declaration”, which was jointly signed in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by more than 100 leading international oncology and cancer-control specialists. Lawmaker and ophthalmologist Dennis Lam Shun-chiu said the expert network will provide online cancer consultations to extend specialist expertise into communities across the globe.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and Director of Health Ronald Lam Man-kin expressed support for the initiative, stressing that prevention-first strategies are an effective way to benefit patients in Hong Kong and beyond.
ISOPT was founded in Hong Kong in 2025 by LegCo member Lam, US oncology expert Professor Charles Balch of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Guangdong breast surgeon Professor Liao Ning. The society, headquartered in Hong Kong, brings together more than 60 experts from 43 countries and regions and aims to use the city as a hub to promote cancer prevention and early diagnosis, offering free multilingual education resources to medical professionals and the public worldwide.
Cancer remains a major public-health challenge, with some 20 million new cases and more than 10 million deaths recorded each year globally. It is said that up to half of cancer cases are preventable, yet an increasing number of patients are being diagnosed at a younger age and at more advanced stages.
Balch, the ISOPT president, said workplaces should become a new frontline for risk assessment, early screening and timely referral, making cancer prevention a core element of corporate health responsibility.
Lam said the city’s role as a “superconnector” under “one country, two systems” framework positions it well to facilitate medical collaboration between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world.
Starting from Hong Kong, he added, the declaration aims to grow into a global campaign that turns the principle of “prevention is better than cure” into concrete action, easing the long-term burden of cancer on individuals, families, businesses and society.
