Auzzi Shopping

Men's Weekly

.

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council: Upholding Medical Innovations as a Cancer Care Centre of Excellence

  • Written by Auzzi Shopping

Malaysian health practitioners are at the helm of various new techniques to treat tongue, blood and orthopaedic-related cancers in their race to boost cancer care accessibility.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach - 6 April 2023 - Cancer has become a leading cause of premature death, with nearly 10 million lives being lost to the disease in 2020[1].

As the world celebrates the 2023 World Health Day with the theme Health for All, it is worth noting that healthcare practitioners are keeping pace with technological advances, which are increasingly opening up access to state-of-the-art treatments in oncology.

MHTC-Press-Release-General-Cancer-Awareness#5.jpg

In 2020, researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Malaysia devised a groundbreaking treatment for tongue cancer. Spearheaded by Dr. Gokula Kumar Appalanaido, a Visiting Consultant Radiation Oncologist at the Penang Adventist Hospital, the technique proved successful, with two patients recovering within six months of clinical trials[2]. Known as Hybrid Brachytherapy Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (HyBIRT), brachytherapy needles are applied directly into the tumour, followed by further radiotherapy and chemotherapy. "Oncology has advanced by leaps and bounds. It's amazing how tumours can now be removed without surgery," said Dr. Gokula.

Underpinned by a professional training system, Malaysia benefits from a wealth of medical expertise, which is also behind a variety of oncology innovations. "For our part, allogeneic bone marrow transplants are now possible, even from donors who are only partially compatible genetically," said Dr. Ng Soo Chin, a consultant haematologist at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.

Introduced to treat various blood cancers, including leukaemia, the method is found to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence by up to 22%, as grafts from allogeneic transplants are free from contaminant cells[3],[4]. "This allows for a potentially enlarged pool of donors, like distant relatives, and what's more, it's almost as effective as a fully-matched transplant," continued Dr. Ng.

While surgeries sometimes cannot be avoided, numerous techniques have been developed through the years to facilitate better outcomes. One of these is limb-salvage surgery. It involves the targeted removal of a tumour without affecting the rest of the limb, thus negating the need for amputations in cases of orthopaedic-related cancer. According to researchers at USM, the survival rate for osteosarcoma patients who underwent limb-salvage surgery stood at 85% at two years, which is significantly greater than for amputees[5].

"We can now remove big portions of a bone or tissue, after which the defect is reconstructed, sometimes using donor cells," added Dr Prashant Narhari, a Visiting Consultant Orthopaedic, Traumatologist and Oncologist at the Penang Adventist Hospital.

As medical technology progresses, oncology treatments are evolving in tandem, with healthcare practitioners racing to enhance cancer care access for all. The growing availability of various cancer treatments in Malaysia is a step forward that aligns with this year's World Health Day's call for Health for All, becoming a testament to the shared commitment to improving patient outcomes within the country.

Find out more about Malaysia's oncology offerings at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP9MZ35Xfv0.

For more information on Malaysia Healthcare and its services, please visit https://malaysiahealthcare.org.my or visit our social feeds at: www.facebook.com/MHTCMalaysia or at LinkedIn (Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council).


Hashtag: #MalaysiaHealthcare

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) is a government agency under the Ministry of Health Malaysia that has been entrusted with the responsibility of curating the country's healthcare travel scene. Founded in 2009, MHTC works to streamline industry players and service providers in facilitating and growing Malaysia's healthcare travel industry under the brand "Malaysia Healthcare" with the intended goal of making Malaysia the leading global healthcare destination. MHTC works closely with over 80 private healthcare facilities in Malaysia, who are registered members of MHTC.

Today's Features at Auzzi

How to Gently Whiten Your Teeth Without Harming Your Enamel

Source Image We all want whiter and cleaner teeth. However, there is a ton of misinformation out there. We do live in the age of the internet after all, and myths can spread faster than w...

How Headless CMS Enables Faster Content Experimentation for Product Teams

Forever testing to iterate content strategies in a world that changes digitally at lightning speed is essential for product teams. Testing gives access to learnings about what users want a...

The Therapeutic Side of Knitting: How It Supports Mental and Physical Health

Once thought of as a charming hobby for grandparents, knitting has become a popular therapeutic outlet for people of all ages. Knitting offers more than just handcrafted sweaters and scarv...

Don’t Pick the Wrong Floor: Laminate vs Hybrid Showdown

Laminate vs Hybrid Flooring: Which Option Is Right for You? Australia’s flooring market offers an impressive array of options—but for many homeowners, this abundance can be overwhelmi...

Understanding the Importance of a Lorry Water Tank in Water Distribution

Water supply plays a crucial role in sustaining life and supporting industries, especially in regions facing water scarcity or lacking reliable infrastructure. In these scenarios, mobile w...

Brighten Up Your Home: How Clean Windows Transform Interiors

Have you ever noticed how clean windows can completely transform the feel of a room? One minute the space feels dull and closed in, and the next, it is filled with natural light, looking b...

Why DIY Duct Repair Can Be Dangerous and Costly

You spot a loose duct or hear a rattle in the vents, should you grab some tape and fix it yourself? It seems like a quick job, and with energy bills rising, many homeowners in Melbourne ar...