Materia Medica Malaysiana

Cancer research blueprint a critical need

One in every four Malaysians will die of cancer. This sobering statistic is the reason behind the soon-to-be drafted Cancer Research Blueprint.

There are also plans to set up a National Cancer Institute which will oversee the prevention of the disease, and the treatment and rehabilitation of patients.

The research blueprint will not only detail available information on cancer in the country but also look at making research more relevant and accessible to everyone.

Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr N. Arumugam has welcomed the drafting of the research blueprint, saying that it would encourage the pooling of limited resources for cancer research in the country.

The committee working on the blueprint will be headed by deputy director-general of Health Datuk Dr Ismail Merican and will comprise professionals and researchers from the Health Ministry, universities, non-governmental organisations and private sector.

Said Dr Ismail: "The blueprint is a must.

"We need to set the pace and direction for cancer research in view of almost 20 per cent of the population expected to suffer at least one form of cancer during their lifetime." There are some other troubling facts: l The National Cancer Society of Malaysia states that between 40,000 and 45,000 cancer cases are reported every year and only one-third survive.

Chinese in Malaysia have the highest incidence of breast cancer, lung cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer.

Indians suffer from mouth, larynx, oesophagus and tongue cancer and Malays from thyroid cancer, lymphatic leukaemia and lymphoma.

"Our present and future knowledge and understanding of cancer at the genetic, molecular and cellular level will open tremendous opportunities for us to seek new and innovative approaches to not only treat the disease but also prevent its start and progression," Dr Ismail said.

He also noted that cancer research at present was conducted by several individual groups and there was duplication of effort and resources. Hence, there is a need for better and effective research strategies.

On cancer prevention, he said the best way was to follow a healthy diet, quit smoking and reduce exposure to ultra-violet light.

Some 10 million people yearly are diagnosed as suffering from cancer and six million die. The World Cancer Report 2003 predicts 15 million new cases by 2020.