In nations with adequate medical resources, mammograms
are the standard screening technique for early detection. In
China, mammograms are available only at a limited number of
urban hospitals. The Chinese government policy is recognized as
the foundation for change, but there is no mandate to providefree or low-cost mammograms on the mass scale required. In most cases, the cost must be paid by the individuaRecognizing the situation in many low-resource
countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to
recommend breast self-examination (BSE) until more technologically
advanced alternatives are available (World Health
Organization 2002). The WHO’s support for BSE is based on its
estimate that two-thirds of all cancers, including breast cancer,
can be prevented or treated successfully if detected early (World
Health Organization 2005). Its recommendation is based on
research showing that BSE can be associated with finding breast
cancer at a more favourable clinical stage