S. Korea revises up cancer survival target

South Korea revised upward its target for the "cancer survival" rate among its citizens as its efforts to prevent and cure the deadly disease appear to be paying off, the health ministry said Sunday. The government will push to raise the five-year cancer survival rate or the percentage of patients remaining alive for at least five years after being diagnosed with the disease to 67 percent until 2015, up from 54 percent set in 2006, according to the ministry. The ministry added that it will also lower the death rate target of cancer to 88 per every 100,000 people from the previous 94. The cancer survival rate in 2008 improved to 59.5 percent from 50.8 percent in 2005. The death rate for cancer was also down from 112.2 to 103.8 over the same period. To achieve the revised targets, the ministry said that it will beef up its efforts to raise public awareness of the dangers of cancer. It will also encourage people to get regular medical checkups, while at the same time providing support for research efforts to develop cancer treatment drugs.