ALMOST 60% of cancer cases in the country were detected at Stage III and IV due to the lack of public awareness on the importance of early diagnosis and screening, said Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said the increase in the death toll due to cancer in the country was also caused by the failure of patients to seek early treatment, besides the fact that there were patients with a strong tendency to seek alternative treatment after diagnosis and would only return to hospital when the cancer was at already at an advanced stage.

By doing so, the patients are actually reducing their chances of cure, he said.

“There are some people who think that cancer is a death sentence and that makes them afraid to even undergo cancer screening and they believe that they are better off not knowing,” he said in a statement in conjunction with World Cancer Day 2018 today.

The minister said cancer was the fourth leading cause of death in Malaysia and contributed to 12.6% of deaths reported at all government hospitals nationwide in 2016.

Subramaniam said undergoing early screening to detect cancer at the earliest possible stage and identifying the symptoms were the most important move in increasing the chances for a cure.

“Prevention is better than cure. That is why the Health Ministry provides free screening and tests for cervical and breast cancer at its facilities across the country. Now, the ministry also provides early colorectal cancer screening service.

“The screening service for those cancer types are also available at private hospitals and certain civil society groups with certain fees,” he said.

Subramaniam said tobacco intake contributed about 22% of deaths due to cancer while hepatitis and human papilloma virus (HPV) virus infection contributed 25% to liver and cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries.

“The number of deaths due to cancer is expected to rise by 70% over the next two decades if there is no intervention,” he said. – Bernama, February 4, 2018.