Breast is now the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Shanghai,
Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou (Gao 1999; Hao et al. 2002; Li
2004; People’s Daily 2003a; Yang et al. 2004; Ying & Zhang 2003).
By 2021, 2.5 million women aged 35–49 years in 2001 are
expected to have breast cancer. China is ‘on the cusp of a breast
cancer epidemic’ (Linos et al. 2008).