Thai health authority launches mobile application on cancer info

BANGKOK, August 9 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Medical Services, under the Ministry of Public Health, has launched a application on smart phones about cancer information, focusing on five types of cancer mostly found among Thai people. The department's director general, Dr. Suphan Srithamma, told journalists of the update on Tuesday, saying that the move is aimed at disseminating reliable and proper information on cancer. Dr. Suphan noted that cancer has become the top cause of deaths among Thais since 1999 with latest statistics in 2011 showing 112,392 new cancer patients or 12,878 per 100,000 Thai population then. According to the senior health official, the first five types of cancer commonly found among Thais are liver and bile duct cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer. Meanwhile, Weerawut Imsamran, Director of the National Cancer Institute, revealed that the application in the Thai language provides general information on cancer, 250 articles about cancer-causing food and anti-cancer diets and herbs, wrong behaviors and beliefs in cancer, as well as current news reports and statistics. The newly-launched application, with its Thai title “รู้ทันโรคมะเร็ง” (cancer updates), is available for free download now. (TNA)