Healthcare Promotion Office (PET cancer screening)

PET cancer screening: introduction

PET装置

PET imaging systems  left: Biograph mCT right: Discovery MI

Japan is one of the longest-living countries in the world. However, the increasing number of patients and deaths caused by lifestyle-related diseases—resulting from dietary habits and lack of physical activity—as well as the rising cost of medical care, have become serious social issues.Among these, cancer is the leading cause of death in Japan.Early detection is essential for effective cancer control.One diagnostic imaging technique that has attracted significant attention as an effective means of detecting cancer is PET (Positron Emission Tomography).

Cancer is the leading cause of death

Currently, cancer is the leading cause of death among Japanese people, and the number of deaths has continued to rise steadily. In 2016, the annual number of cancer-related deaths exceeded 350,000 for the first time. Approximately 500,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year, and it is said that about one in two people will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime. Moreover, among people in their 50s—the prime working years—nearly half of all deaths are caused by cancer.

Proportion of cancer among all causes of death by age group

Source: Prepared based on Vital Statistics, Final data: General mortality (2024) from the Portal Site of Official Statistics of Japan (e-Stat).

Early detection and early treatment are essential

Cancer is not necessarily fatal.When it is detected early and treated appropriately, survival rates can increase significantly. Many cases of early-stage cancers—such as stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer—are successfully cured. In addition, cancers that were once considered difficult to treat, including lung cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer, can also be cured if they are detected at an early stage.

Five-year relative survival rates for cancers detected at an early stage

Source: Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan: Survival Report for 2009–2011, Center for Cancer Control andInformation Services,National Cancer Center, Japan, 2020.

Research funded by the National Cancer Center Research and Development Fund:“Study on Improving the Quality and Utilization of Population-based Cancer Registries,” FY2010 Final Report.

Definition of “Early Stage”:

In this analysis, “early stage” refers to cases classified as “localized”, meaning that the cancer is confined to the organ of origin.

Five-year relative survival rate: The five-year relative survival rate is defined as the ratio (B/A) of the probability that patients with cancer are alive five years after treatment (B) to the probability of survival over the same period in the general population (A).

Reducing medical costs for a better quality of life

Early detection and early treatment of cancer not only reduce the physical burden on patients but also help lessen financial costs. Data show that the average total medical cost for patients who died from cancer is approximately 4.2 million yen*, whereas the average medical cost for patients who were cured of cancer is about 2.0 million yen*. Treatment for early-stage cancer typically requires a shorter hospital stayand can significantly reduce overall medical expenses.

 

* Figures represent costs incurred during the first year from the initial consultation (survey conducted by the Hamamatsu Foundation for Photonics and Medicine).

 

The amounts shown indicate total medical costs.Under Japan’s public health insurance system—such as health insurance societies for company employees or the National Health Insurance for self-employed individuals—patients are generally responsible for 30 % of the total medical costs as out-of-pocket expenses.