SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) will host its 2^nd Annual PCF China Scientific Symposium in association with the Chinese Urological Association. It will be held Saturday, May 18 at the Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou Hotel on Siping Road from 1:00pm to 6:00pm. The program will feature presentations from both Chinese and American prostate cancer experts. Based in the U.S., PCF is committed to identifying, funding and promoting innovative research projects within China—with an ultimate goal of ending death and suffering from prostate cancer for the estimated 16 million men around the world who are living with the disease.

As China’s cancer rate rises, health officials are investing in cancer research across the country and are forging international relationships with preeminent research entities such as PCF.

According to an April 17 article in The New York Times: “China’s cancer rate is still below that of the United States. About 3.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer yearly, the Zhejiang Science and Technology News Net reported Tuesday [April 16], citing a 2012 report by the National Cancer Registry. (Other news accounts put the figure at 3.12 million. Statistics in China often vary.) In the United States, with a population less than a quarter of China’s 1.35 billion, more than 1.6 million people are expected to receive a diagnosis of cancer in 2013, according to the American Cancer Society.”

But while cancer rates in the United States are falling, they are rising in China with a death rate from cancer that is far higher — about 2.5 million people yearly, compared with the 580,350 expected to die in the United States this year, according to the article.

Following the symposium, an awards dinner will be hosted during which two new PCF China Young Investigators will be announced. The PCF China Young Investigator Awards provide a three-year grant of $37,500 per year. In total, the Prostate Cancer Foundation has funded 120 Young Investigator Awards, in nine countries—a $2.7 million investment. The Young Investigator Awards Dinner will also take place at the Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou from 6:30 -9:00 pm.

Both the Symposium and Awards Dinner are by invitation only. Prostate cancer researchers and members of the press who are interested in attending these events should contact Quingan Zhou (qzhou@pcf.org).

Prior to the Symposium on May 18, members of the PCF China Committee will visit some of the country’s leading cancer centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Xi’an to learn about their advances in prostate cancer research.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation in China

PCF China, an initiative of the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) identifies, funds, and promotes innovative research projects within China to end death and suffering from prostate cancer. Via partnerships with established Chinese institutions, PCF China energizes and builds the prostate cancer research enterprise in China as well as encourages sustainable global collaboration through the worldwide PCF Knowledge Exchange.

Since PCF China’s inception in August 2011, it has connected with more than 120 senior researchers and 30 institutions in China. In March 2012, PCF co-hosted the 1st Annual PCF China Scientific Symposium with the Chinese Urological Association (CUA). In June 2012, PCF co-organized the 6th Annual Forum of Prostate Disease with the Shanghai Medical Association (SMA), Shanghai Urological Society of SMA, and the Shanghai Changhai Hospital. More information about PCF China can be found at www.pcfchina.org.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $530 million and provided funding to over 1,600 research projects at nearly 200 institutions in 16 countries around the world. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds supporting transformational cancer research. Our efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in U.S. government funding for prostate cancer. More information about PCF can be found at www.pcf.org.