Breast cancer is hitting earlier

BEIJING - While the prevalence of breast cancer among women in Asia is lower than it is in much of the world, those who are hit by it in China tend to develop the illness at a much younger age, according to a new epidemiology study.

The survey, conducted by the Cancer Foundation of China between 1999 and 2008, found most Chinese women who developed the disease did so between 40 and 49.

The survey sampled more than 4,200 patients from throughout the mainland.