Malaysia is a Southeast Asian Multi-ethnic country with over 30 million population. The majority are ethnically Malay, with Indians, Chinese and indigenous peoples as minorities1. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and accounts for most of the cancer-related deaths in Malaysia2-4. The recent Malaysian National Cancer registry 2012-16 data show 78% of males & 81% of females of lung, trachea and bronchial cancer are diagnosed at stage 45. Lung cancer survival is poorest among all cancers with the 5-year observed survival rate of 9% and relative survival of 11%6. Screening and early diagnosis remain huge unmet needs. Limited awareness on lung cancer contributes to late stage presentation in most cases. The stigma around lung cancer as a 'self-inflicted' cancer together with fear and anxiety around chemotherapy, radiotherapy and cultural bias of complementary and traditional therapies are additional hurdles7.The Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM) and AstraZeneca are leading this digital initiative to focus on educating the primary care physicians on lung cancer.Learning ObjectivesThe initiative is based on the theme of "Conquering Lung Cancer Together" and aim to:
- Increase the awareness of lung cancer in HCPs, (especially general practitioners as patients/public most likely will first presented to them) in order to improve early detection for timely management of lung cancer.
- Improve the outcome of lung cancer management-to increase the chance of cure of the disease (early stage) and to improve patient's overall survival for advanced stage.
- Call to action: GP’s are able to detect and refer the suspected cases to the relevant specialty for timely diagnosis and treatment.
- References:
- Department of Statistics Malaysia. Population distribution and basic demographic characteristicreport,2010.https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column/ctheme&menu_id=L0pheU43NWJwRWVSZklWdzQ4TlhUUT09&bul_id=MDMxdHZjWTk1SjFzTzNkRXYzcVZjdz09. Accessed 2 October 2019.
- Ministry of Health Malaysia. National strategic plan for cancer control programme, 20162020.http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php.
- National Cancer Registry. Malaysian national cancer registry report, 2007-2011. http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer. Malaysia. https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/458-malaysia-fact-sheets.pdf. Accessed 22 August 2019.
- Malaysia national cancer registry report 2012-2016 https://nci.moh.gov.my/index.php/ms/pengumuman/340-national-cancer-registry-report
- National Cancer Registry. Malaysian study on cancer survival (MyScan), 2018. http://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Laporan/Umum/Malaysian_Study_on_Cancer_Survival_MySCan_2018.pdf. Accessed 23 August 2019.
- Liam CK, Andarini S, Lee P, Ho JC, Chau NQ, Tscheikuna J. Lung cancer staging now and in the future. Respirology. 2015;20:526-534.
There are 8 modules in this course. Participants must successfully complete all 8 modules to obtain 1 CPD point, that will be credited instantly in your MMA CPD account.
About the Presenters
Dr. Anand Sachithanandan MB BCh BAO (Dublin), A.F.R.C.S.I., F.R.C.S.I.(C-Th)(UK), A.M., F.I.C.S., F.A.C.S. (USA)Dr. Anand Sachithanandan graduated from the RCSI medical school in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. He subsequently completed his postgraduate cardiothoracic specialist surgical training at leading hospitals in the UK. He is a British board - certified cardiothoracic surgeon since 2008 and has been practising as an independent consultant since 2010.Dr. Anand is a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons, American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He is a highly published surgeon with a special interest in thoracic (chest) conditions especially lung cancer. His clinical expertise includes minimally invasive keyhole VATS surgery.He has been an invited speaker at numerous national and international scientific meetings.Dr. Anand is co-founder and President of Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM). He is a Clinical Tutor in Thoracic surgery at the Malaysian Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery (MBCTS) and a Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Surgery at Monash University Malaysia. Dr. Anand is currently practising at Sunway Medical Centre and the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
Dr. Tho Lye Mun MBBS(Sydney), MRCP(UK), FRCR(UK), PhD (Glasgow), CCT in Clinical Oncology(UK), Fellowship in Molecular Oncology(UK). Dr. Tho Lye Mun read Medicine as a John Crawford Scholar and graduated from the University of Sydney, Australia in 1998. He went on to train and work in the UK, obtaining both internal medicine MRCP (UK) and clinical oncology FRCR (UK) qualifications. He was then awarded a prestigious joint Cancer Research UK and Royal College of Radiologists research fellowship where his research into novel checkpoint inhibitors as anti-cancer therapy led to him being awarded a PhD in molecular oncology from the University of Glasgow. For his work he was also awarded the John Paul Medal and Anne Hollman Medal. After training and working overseas for 23 years, Dr. Tho returned to Malaysia taking up the post of Associate Professor at the University of Malaya and he then subsequently moved into private practice. His passion and commitment to lung cancer has seen him lead many clinical studies in the field, in particular immunotherapy and serve on numerous regional and international advisory bodies and guideline committees. He has also pioneered the use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung cancer having undergone further training in Korea and the Cleveland Clinic, USA. He is the current Vice President of South East Asian Radiation Oncology Group (SEAROG). He is co-founder and Vice President of Lung Cancer Network Malaysia.
Dr. Yap Beng Khiong MBChB, MRCP, FRCR, FRCP, CCST (Clinical Oncology UK)
Dr. Yap underwent undergraduate medical education at the University of Dundee, Scotland. He then trained in clinical oncology at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, England, which is one of the largest specialist cancer hospitals in Europe. He undertook clinical fellowship in Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto, Canada. He was appointed as a consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, England between 2003-2014. He was a member of the UK National Cancer Research Institute clinical subgroup designing and conducting clinical trials. He was the chief and principal investigator for a number of clinical trials. He won the first prize in his presentation on Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Thyroid Cancers in the 2nd World Thyroid Cancer Congress, Toronto Canada in 2013. He has delivered lectures in various local and international meetings and institutions. He is involved in promoting public awareness on the importance in early cancer diagnoses and treatments. He is currently a consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
Dr. Voon Pei Jye MD, MRCP, MMED
Dr. Voon is currently Head and Consultant Medical Oncologist with Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Umum Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak. He read medicine at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and graduated in 2001. He undertook training in Internal Medicine and obtained his MRCP (UK) and Master of Medicine (Internal Medicine) from National University of Singapore in 2007. Dr. Voon was later gazetted as Internal Medicine Specialist. Subsequently, he completed his advanced specialist training in Medical Oncology from National University Hospital Singapore in 2012.
MB BCh BAO (Dublin), A.F.R.C.S.I., F.R.C.S.I.(C-Th)(UK), A.M., F.I.C.S., F.A.C.S. (USA)Dr. Anand Sachithanandan graduated from the RCSI medical school in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. He subsequently completed his postgraduate cardiothoracic specialist surgical training at leading hospitals in the UK. He is a British board - certified cardiothoracic surgeon since 2008 and has been practising as an independent consultant since 2010.Dr. Anand is a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons, American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He is a highly published surgeon with a special interest in thoracic (chest) conditions especially lung cancer. His clinical expertise includes minimally invasive keyhole VATS surgery.He has been an invited speaker at numerous national and international scientific meetings.Dr. Anand is co-founder and President of Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM). He is a Clinical Tutor in Thoracic surgery at the Malaysian Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery (MBCTS) and a Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Surgery at Monash University Malaysia. Dr. Anand is currently practising at Sunway Medical Centre and the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
MBBS(Sydney), MRCP(UK), FRCR(UK), PhD (Glasgow), CCT in Clinical Oncology(UK), Fellowship in Molecular Oncology(UK). Dr. Tho Lye Mun read Medicine as a John Crawford Scholar and graduated from the University of Sydney, Australia in 1998. He went on to train and work in the UK, obtaining both internal medicine MRCP (UK) and clinical oncology FRCR (UK) qualifications. He was then awarded a prestigious joint Cancer Research UK and Royal College of Radiologists research fellowship where his research into novel checkpoint inhibitors as anti-cancer therapy led to him being awarded a PhD in molecular oncology from the University of Glasgow. For his work he was also awarded the John Paul Medal and Anne Hollman Medal. After training and working overseas for 23 years, Dr. Tho returned to Malaysia taking up the post of Associate Professor at the University of Malaya and he then subsequently moved into private practice. His passion and commitment to lung cancer has seen him lead many clinical studies in the field, in particular immunotherapy and serve on numerous regional and international advisory bodies and guideline committees. He has also pioneered the use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung cancer having undergone further training in Korea and the Cleveland Clinic, USA. He is the current Vice President of South East Asian Radiation Oncology Group (SEAROG). He is co-founder and Vice President of Lung Cancer Network Malaysia.
MBChB, MRCP, FRCR, FRCP, CCST (Clinical Oncology UK)
Dr. Yap underwent undergraduate medical education at the University of Dundee, Scotland. He then trained in clinical oncology at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, England, which is one of the largest specialist cancer hospitals in Europe. He undertook clinical fellowship in Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto, Canada. He was appointed as a consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, England between 2003-2014. He was a member of the UK National Cancer Research Institute clinical subgroup designing and conducting clinical trials. He was the chief and principal investigator for a number of clinical trials. He won the first prize in his presentation on Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Thyroid Cancers in the 2nd World Thyroid Cancer Congress, Toronto Canada in 2013. He has delivered lectures in various local and international meetings and institutions. He is involved in promoting public awareness on the importance in early cancer diagnoses and treatments. He is currently a consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
Dr. Yap underwent undergraduate medical education at the University of Dundee, Scotland. He then trained in clinical oncology at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, England, which is one of the largest specialist cancer hospitals in Europe. He undertook clinical fellowship in Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto, Canada. He was appointed as a consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, England between 2003-2014. He was a member of the UK National Cancer Research Institute clinical subgroup designing and conducting clinical trials. He was the chief and principal investigator for a number of clinical trials. He won the first prize in his presentation on Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Thyroid Cancers in the 2nd World Thyroid Cancer Congress, Toronto Canada in 2013. He has delivered lectures in various local and international meetings and institutions. He is involved in promoting public awareness on the importance in early cancer diagnoses and treatments. He is currently a consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
MD, MRCP, MMED
Dr. Voon is currently Head and Consultant Medical Oncologist with Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Umum Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak. He read medicine at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and graduated in 2001. He undertook training in Internal Medicine and obtained his MRCP (UK) and Master of Medicine (Internal Medicine) from National University of Singapore in 2007. Dr. Voon was later gazetted as Internal Medicine Specialist. Subsequently, he completed his advanced specialist training in Medical Oncology from National University Hospital Singapore in 2012.
Dr. Voon is currently Head and Consultant Medical Oncologist with Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Umum Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak. He read medicine at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and graduated in 2001. He undertook training in Internal Medicine and obtained his MRCP (UK) and Master of Medicine (Internal Medicine) from National University of Singapore in 2007. Dr. Voon was later gazetted as Internal Medicine Specialist. Subsequently, he completed his advanced specialist training in Medical Oncology from National University Hospital Singapore in 2012.