The incidence of malignant tumors should be used as an index to measure the government's performance in combating environmental pollution, according to a leading medical expert.

Hua Yawei, deputy head of the Henan Tumor Hospital and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the suggestion in a proposal to the body, calling for the introduction of the first pollution index directly related to human health.

"The mechanism of cancer is not entirely clear, but a large number of epidemiological investigations and basic research have confirmed that it is closely related to the degree of pollution in the environment we live in, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the lifestyles we lead," said Hua in his proposal.