Status of Cancer in Malaysia

Cancer is increasing in incidence and today, it would seem that each of us knows at least a friend or a family member that has been affected by cancer. Based on the latest Health Facts 2013 released by Ministry of Health (MoH) Malaysia, cancer is one of the top ten causes of hospitalisation and one of the top five causes of death in both MoH and private hospitals. The salient truth is that cancer has overtaken hearth disease as the number one killer this year (2014).

Although the USA death toll from cancer has declined for 2 decades, cancer deaths continue to rise globally according to the annual cancer statistics report from the American Cancer Society – largely due to effective treatment and with an increasing population ceasing smoking in stark contrast to the rest of the world.

In Malaysia, the incidence of cancer increased from 32,000 new cases in 2008 to about 37,000 in 2012 (approx 100 new cases per day!). Mortality due to cancer stood at 20,100 deaths in 2008 and has increased to 21,700 deaths in 2012, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Globocan of the World Health Organisation (WHO). More than 50% of Malaysian Malay men smoke, more than 30% Malaysians are obese, yet we still do not take screening and prevention seriously.

• 15% of Malaysian population will get cancer before 75 years old.
• 9% of Malaysian population will die from cancers before 75 years old.

Cancer Statistics in Malaysia (2012)



Sources:

• Health Facts 2013, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Health Informatics Centre Planning Division, July 2013.
• GLOBOCAN 2012 v1.0, Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide: IARC CancerBase No. 11, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Ervik M, Dikshit R, Eser S, Mathers C, Rebelo M, Parkin DM, Forman D, Bray, F, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
• National Cancer Registry Report, Malaysia Cancer Statistics – Data and Figure 2007, Ariffin OZ, Saleha IT, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, 2011.
• Global Trends, Cancer and High Drug Prices, Khor M, Third World Network Mar 2014.

*Head and neck cancer includes cancer incidences for nasopharynx, larynx, tongue, mouth, nose&sinuses, salivary gland, hypopharynx, other oralpharynx, tonsil, pharynx unspecified and lip.