Th e HEALTH | MARCH, 2019
16
ISSUE: CERVICAL CANCER
LPPKN: Cervical
cancer preventable
Taking the steps against cervical cancer
PHOTO: CERVICAL CANCER
A
N estimated 60 percent of cancer prog-
nosis among patients in Malaysia is only
detected at later stages of the dreaded
disease. “Cervical cancer is usually only
detected at Stage III and IV after it has
adversely eff ected the patients,” states
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefl y Ahmad.
It’s important to understand that cervical cancer –
the disease known as a ‘silent killer’ is actually highly
preventable and treatable. We speak to National
Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN)
to understand how this killer disease can be eliminated.
Cervical cancer is one of the most treatable forms
of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed
eff ectively. According to the Centres for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention, up to 93% of cervical cancers are
preventable with screening and HPV (human papil-
lomavirus) vaccination.
Cervical cancer is slow-growing, so its progression
through precancerous changes provides opportunities
for prevention, early detection, and treatment. Cervical
cancer is comprised of four stages:
1. Stage 0 - Carcinoma in situ (CIS) - a group of abnor-
mal cells that are found only in the place where they
fi rst formed. Th ese abnormal cells may become
cancer and spread to nearby normal tissue
2. Stage I - denotes the presence of abnormal cells that
may become cancerous
3. Stage II - cancer spreads just beyond the cervix
4. Stage III - cancer spreads to the vagina, pelvic wall
and/or kidneys
5. Stage IV - cancer spread to the bladder rectum and
other parts of the body
Starting with pre-cancer, it takes 10 to 20 years
for cervical cancer to develop in women with normal
immune system.
Treatment options?
Besides secondary prevention through HPV DNA test,
LPPKN also provide primary prevention such as HPV
vaccination targeting adolescence that would prevent
infection of HPV. In 2018, LPPKN was giving out HPV
Vaccinations for Malaysian women born in 1991 to
1996 for free. — Th e Health
HPV test
trumps cancer
An HPV test is much
more accurate test to
identify the possibility
of cervical cancer
down the line.
A
N HPV test has proven to be the better test for cervi-
cal cancer, hence the use of them for Project ROSE
Based on the 2019 Budget Allocation, RM20
million has been allocated to the Ministry of Women,
Family and Community Development (KPWKM) through
the National Population and Family Development Board
(LPPKN). This allocation provides women’s cancer
screening services such as Mammogram services, HPV
vaccination for Malaysian women born in year 1992 to
1996 and HPV DNA program which will benefi t 70,000
women throughout Malaysia.
What is currently the typical screening process for cervi-
cal cancer available in LPPKN, and how will Project ROSE
diff erent in terms of the procedures?
An HPV DNA test, or HPV test for short, uses a self-
sampling technique and is able to identify 14 types of
human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV type 16 and
18 that are considered high-risk types. Approximately 70%
of invasive cervical cancer cases worldwide are caused by
HPV 16 and HPV 18.
Project ROSE had introduced a digital e-Health
platform, canSCREEN, to enhance Malaysian women’s
personal journey of maintaining good cervical health. Th is
technology is an innovation by Australia’s VCS Foundation
(VCSF) and the University of Malaya (UM)
“It is the e-health component that makes ROSE unique
and powerful. It utilises mobile technology and VCS
Foundation’s canSCREEN, a population health manage-
ment platform that enables healthcare professionals to
track the progress of every woman screened through their
lifetime, regardless of where she was screened,” states
Associate Professor Marion Saville, Executive Director of
VCS Foundation.
“Th is provides a welcome safety net to ensure that
women in whom HPV is detected are followed up and man-
aged appropriately. It also allows optimisation of health
resources by preventing duplication of services while
establishing a powerful resource to monitor Malaysia’s
progress towards eliminating cervical cancer,” she adds.
Meanwhile, LPPKN are to use the Reproductive Health
Information System (RHIS) to keep track of client data and
referral. — Th e Health