In Malaysia, cutting-edge breakthroughs, such as next-generation sequencing and targeted therapy, are key to less invasive precision oncology treatments, bringing hope for better outcomes among cancer patients.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. In 2020 alone, nearly ten million lives were lost to this disease[1]. Malaysia’s healthcare services have been increasingly promoting universal cancer care, positioning the country as a Cancer Care Centre of Excellence and placing it as the third most prepared country in fighting cancer in the Asia-Pacific based on a study conducted by The Economist’s Economist Intelligence Unit[2].
“There are, at present, multiple methods to diagnose cancer, such as PET (positron emission tomography) imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, biopsies, scopes and immunohistochemistry tests. However, cancer diagnosis isn’t always straightforward,” explained Dr. Matin Mellor, a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre, a private hospital in Selangor.
Although pathology reports can usually indicate cancer with negligible margins of error, some patients display few symptoms at the onset of cancer. “This is where next-generation sequencing comes in, allowing us to not only pinpoint lesions and tumours, but also conduct molecular profiling that assists in deciding the best treatment possible,” he said.
Next-generation sequencing is a DNA sequencing technique capable of deciphering an entire human genome within just one day. Extracted DNA samples are broken up into a library of fragments and sequenced for data analysis, making possible the rapid identification of specific markers and mutations.
Determining markers is crucial for targeted therapy and in turn, improved patient outcomes. Targeted therapy involves the use of medications or enzymes that inhibit the growth of specific intracellular molecules within cancer cells.
“For treatments dictated by ‘activating the mutation’ found via next-generation sequencing, the medications work by attacking only the mutating proteins and genes. These can be used to treat lung cancer harbouring the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and ROS Proto-Oncogene 1, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (ROS1) genes, for example. Unlike other treatments like chemotherapy, they are selective in nature, thus posing less risks to healthy cells and reducing side effects,” added Dr. Matin.
As technological advances continue to accelerate – the field of oncology included – more efficient data processing and analytics have also grown in importance. The advent of Big Data could potentially open up new possibilities in information sharing, allowing for quicker access to patient cases, predictive analytics and clinical decision support on a wider scale. Trials with Big Data have been conducted on a global scale[3]. In Singapore alone, the trials show promising accuracy in predictive cancer diagnostics of over 30,000 patient-derived biopsies[4].
As Malaysia’s healthcare sector continues to evolve, public and private investments in research and human capital are beginning to pay off. Innovative developments in oncology, such as these, ensure Malaysian hospitals remain at the forefront for oncology services within the region. 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).
[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
[2] https://worldcancerinitiative.economist.com/pdf/Roche-cancer-preparedness-in-asia/Roche_Cancer_White_paper.pdf
[3] https://www.telefonica.com/en/communication-room/blog/new-technologies-in-early-cancer-detection-big-data-and-artificial-intelligence-to-save-lives/
[4] https://news.nus.edu.sg/breakthrough-in-cancer-diagnosis-using-big-data-analytics
