The first comprehensive cancer center in Asia, AmMed Cancer Center, was launched at the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Monday.

   The cancer center, aimed to deter cancer mortality rates in Hong Kong and other Asian regions by emphasizing in screening, early detection and advanced treatment protocols, is equipped with facilities applying cutting-edge technology in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

   It boasts a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Unit which detects cancer cells in early state accurately and linear accelerators of the latest model that enable precise delivery of radiation dose to tumor cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues.

   AmMed is affiliated with New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, ranked the Number one Cancer Center hospital in the United States.

   Cancer now is the leading cause of medical deaths in Asia, with 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women are expected to develop cancer during their lifetime. In 1999, a total of 20,526 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Hong Kong.