Dr Sim: Sarawak records highest rate of cervical cancer

KUCHING (Dec 29): Sarawak recorded the highest incidence rate of cervical cancer, at 9.6 cases per 100,000 women every year, according to the the Malaysian National Cancer Registry Report.

Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said due to this alarming report, he urged Sarawakian women to come forward to undergo human papillomavirus (HPV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test for cervical cancer at National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) Nur Sejahtera Clinics for free until end of this year.

He said the disease is preventable and can be treated when detected early.

“Unfortunately, cervical cancer in Sarawak is the highest in Malaysia. The Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development’s (KPWKM) recently held the ‘Program KASIH Keluarga: Gempur Saringan Kanser Serviks Sarawak’, a programme to eliminate cervical cancer in Sarawak led by (Santubong MP) Dato Seri Nancy Shukri.

“This programme is held on a large scale to ensure 90 per cent of women will get themselves vaccinated with HPV vaccine at the early age of 15,” he said in a video conference on Facebook today.

Meanwhile, Dr Sim said Sarawak recorded 2,300 new cancer cases in 2022, where 53 per cent involved women.

Breaking down the data, he said breast cancer accounted for the highest number of cases with 38 per cent or 469 cases, followed by cervical cancer (169 cases), and lung cancer (133 cases).

He said most of the patients diagnosed with breast cancer were already at Stage 3 and 4.

“Unfortunately, only Stage 1 and 2 (breast cancer) can be treated. That is why I encourage all women to undergo the test. If everyone gets themselves tested early, perhaps these 469 women in Sarawak could still be saved from breast cancer,” he added.