28
The Health | April, 2020
| Issue |
Early detection
of colon cancer
is important
Group photo at the event (from left to right): Datin Dr Sharmila Sachithanandan as co-founder of WIGNAP,
Dr Ferga Gleeson from Mayo clinic USA, Dr Elizabeth Rajan from Mayo Clinic USA, Dr Anita Balakrishnan from
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Jasminder Sidhu from HKL, Dr Ida Hilmi from PPUM),
and Dr April Camilla Roslani from PPUM.
WIGNAP to attract
more women to
gastroenterology
THE number of new cancer cases
recorded in Malaysia over five years
from 2012 to 2016 increased to 115,238
from 103,507 recorded in the period
from 2007 to 2011.
Senior Consultant
Gastroenterologist at Subang Jaya
Medical Centre (SJMC), Datin Dr
Sharmila Sachithanandan lends her
thoughts on the worrying increase
in numbers. “Colon cancer is the
number two killer cause in Malaysia;
therefore, we advocate those above
the age of 50, both male and female
to have at least one colonoscopy in
their lifetime. This is to pick out those
who are at risk of colon cancer,” said
Dr Sharmila. “A colonoscopy allows
the gastroenterologist to examine the
lining of the whole large bowel and
simultaneously remove polyps that
may be pre-cancerous (adenomas).
According to her, some groups have
proposed that the screening age for
colon cancer be at 45. For patients with
a family history of colorectal cancer
that was diagnosed before age 60
years in one first-degree relative or at
any age in two first-degree relatives,
testing should begin with colonoscopy
at an age 10 years younger than
the youngest age at diagnosis of a
first-degree relative, or age 40, to be
repeated every 5 years.
Dr Sharmila observes that men
The success of female gastroenterologists should be highlighted
“T
HERE were
approximately 150
invited speakers at a
recent International
Gastroenterology
event. Of the 150, how
many of them were
women?” quizzed Datin
Dr Sharmila Sachithanandan, co-founder of
the Women in Gastroenterology Network
Asia-Pacific (WIGNAP).
“Never would anyone imagine the
answer to be eight. Yes, just eight female
gastroenterologists as faculty at a major
International event. At some meetings, all the
speakers would be male! It’s not as if there is a
shortage of women to invite,” she said.
While the rest of the world is trying to
move forward, the Asia-Pacific remains
still, heels dug in. European and American
Gastroenterological Societies have a
minimum 25-30 per cent mandate for women
representation on panels and as speakers,
with a similar representation on committees
and co-chairs of courses.
Datin Dr Sharmila Sachithanandan, Senior
Consultant Gastroenterologist at Subang
Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC), said, "At many
gastroenterology meetings and conferences
I attended, I would be one of a few females
in the room. At endoscopy meetings, I would
sometimes be the only female. There were
occasions when I was brushed off as a nurse
or secretary instead and my male colleagues
would feel quite embarrassed.”
In East Asian countries like Japan and
Korea, the profession is very male-dominated.
In fact in Japan, only 20 per cent of the
doctors are female and very few of that 20
per cent are specialised in gastroenterology,"
explained Dr Sharmila. In Malaysia, the
majority of medical school graduates
are female. However, only 16 per cent of
gastroenterologists are female.
In Asia, prior to WIGNAP, there was no
such forum for women gastroenterologists to
meet, collaborate and share their professional
experiences and challenges.
Levelling the playing field
The mother of three does not take issues faced
by female gastroenterologists lightly. One
way of supporting female gastroenterologists,
she said, was to highlight their achievements
and successes to inspire younger women.
"Many of these women gastroenterologists
are brilliant doctors and endoscopists, but
they don't get the chance to be speakers
or faculty at conferences. We try to create
opportunities to obtain the right platform to
showcase their skills."
One of the critical issues highlighted
by WIGNAP is the lack of women in the
gastroenterology field. "They may feel
overwhelmed and that the field is too much
for them to handle, but we want to show
the younger doctors that it is an exciting
speciality and that more women are needed."
Dr Sharmila also said the partnership of
other male doctors was instrumental to women
empowerment. "WIGNAP doesn't just consist
of women. We have men on board because we
believe that it takes a combined movement to
effect change. When men take action, other
men will follow suit”
What's next for WIGNAP? Dr Sharmila
will be in Rio de Janeiro for the first-ever
World Wonder Women in Gastroenterology
event. "There will be women from USA, South
America, Europe, the Middle East and the
Asia-Pacific, and I am looking forward to
it." — The Health
Dr Sharmila (middle).
are more proactive when it comes
to screening, unlike women. She
explains that this is because some
(not all) women tend to feel shy to
have a scope done by a male doctor
and they would look for a female
gastroenterologist instead. Cultural
and religious barriers also explain the
lower rate of colon cancer screening
amongst women. They often come
to her stating how tough it is to find a
female gastroenterologist.
"Malaysia doesn't have a screening
programme because it's not cost-
effective and we do not have enough
resources to cope with the workload
if everyone starts to go for screening.
For now, it's very much opportunistic
relying on educating people to come
forward," she explained. This is mostly
the case in private hospitals. In the
public sector, there are pockets of
screening available but this is not widely
available.
Pancreatic cancer is another
cancer which affects both males
and females. Dr Sharmila feels there
should be an attempt to increase the
awareness of the signs and symptoms
because by the time it is picked up, it
is too late.