MOH and Cancer Research Malaysia Bridge Care Gap for Low-Income Breast Cancer Patients
Malaysia’s fight against cancer
According to data from Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (MOH), survival rates for breast cancer patients are notably higher in high-income settings, with nine out of ten patients surviving the disease, compared to only 5 out of 10 in low-income settings. Recently, the MOH and Cancer Research Malaysia (CRMY) have published the results of their collaborative efforts aimed at improving survival rates among low-income patients through the Patient Navigation Programme (PnP) implemented at four public hospitals in Klang, Seremban, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu.
Breast cancer accounts for over 2.3 million cases annually, making it the most prevalent cancer among adults worldwide. In many countries, breast cancer stands as the primary or secondary cause of female cancer-related deaths. However, survival rates for breast cancer vary significantly between and within countries, with nearly 80% of breast and cervical cancer deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
Despite Malaysia’s status as an upper-middle-income country with a robust healthcare system and effective socioeconomic programs, cancer survival rates remain below those of high-income countries. This discrepancy can be attributed to various barriers, including low cancer awareness and screening rates, delays in seeking medical attention, late detection and diagnosis, challenges in accessing quality and affordable care, and a preference for alternative treatments.
While breast cancer is one of the most curable cancers, improvements in survival have made a greater impact among high-income women and less impact on low-income patients, according to Dato’ Dr Imi Sairi, National Head of Service Breast & Endocrine Surgery, MOH Lead for Breast Cancer Patient Navigation and the Head of Breast and Endocrine Surgery at HPRZII (Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II), Kota Bahru. “Through our partnership with CRMY, we have addressed this gap through the patient navigation programme with marked improvements in timeliness of diagnosis and treatment, and improvement in adherence to treatment,” Dr Imi Sairi said.
Dr Yatela Zainal Abidin, CEO of Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) expressed pride in YSD’s collaboration with CRMY and MOH to set up the very first PnP Centre at the Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah in Klang, significantly enhancing access to cancer care for the B40 community.
“Our more than a decade-long partnership with CRMY contributes towards our commitment to improving healthcare particularly for Malaysia’s low-income group. We are delighted that our support for CRMY’s research work to address the unique healthcare challenges faced by Asians has resulted in new services for low-income women through the Breast Cancer PnP. It is our ongoing mission to ensure that equitable access to cancer treatment is made available to all Malaysians,” she said.
Shariah Nelly Francis, CEO of Yayasan Petronas emphasised the importance of having an all-of-society inclusive approach to healthcare, as the basis for the support from Yayasan Petronas for the expansion of the programme beyond these four centres.
“To date, Yayasan Petronas’s contribution comprises the expansion of patient navigation to ensure wider coverage and access to the B40 communities, and research operational costs and expenses,” said Puan Nelly.
CRMY: finding better ways to improve cancer survival
In collaboration with MOH, CRMY established the first demonstration model for the Breast Cancer PnP at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang in 2015. The goal was to deliver patient-centered care for breast cancer patients by guiding newly diagnosed individuals to complete recommended lifesaving treatments and overcome barriers that could interrupt their treatment.
Following the successful demonstration of the programme, in 2020, the programme was replicated at three other state referral hospitals that treat breast cancer patients: Hospital Queen Elizabeth II in Kota Kinabalu, Hospital Umum Sarawak in Kuching, and Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar in Seremban.
Over the past nine years, 3,991 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients have been successfully navigated through the four centres. The patient navigation program has yielded significant improvements in the timeliness of diagnosis, the prompt initiation of treatment, and a notable decrease in the default rate. Moreover, the establishment of a one-stop center offering emotional, financial, and transportation support has significantly reduced barriers to care for breast cancer patients, resulting in a higher proportion completing their treatment regimen.
Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi, Director General of Health highlighted the importance of such initiatives, which are in line with the Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework from the World Health Organisation (WHO). He said, “The global target is to save 2.5 million lives from breast cancer by 2040, and the WHO Framework recommends countries implement the three pillars of health promotion for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive management of breast cancer. “
The PnP in Malaysia has achieved two key objectives: ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment initiation for patients, as well as a high completion rate for recommended treatment. Moving forward, the MOH is committed to collaborating with CRMY to increase the early-stage diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer to at least 60%. These ambitious initiatives will necessitate dedicated effort and support to be successfully realised.
“Although we have improved timeliness and adherence to treatment, there is still a lot more to do. The focus in the coming years is to expand our partnership to drive early detection of breast cancer. To do this, we have already started programmes to reach out to GPs to ensure rapid referral for women with suspicious symptoms (such as a breast lump) and to reach out to rural and underserved communities to improve health-seeking behaviour,” added Professor Datin Paduka Dr Teo Soo Hwang, Chief Scientific Officer of CRMY and one of the founders of the programme. Through these initiatives, it is hoped that more cancer patients will present with the early-stage disease when the cancer is more likely to be cured.
Category: MJN enews
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