LETTER | Amidst Covid-19, cancer care cannot be delayed
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LETTER | In the year 2020 alone, the number of new cancer cases reported in Malaysia was 48,639 and the number of people living with cancer (5-year) was a whopping 128,018. Presently, the top three most common cancers among Malaysian males are colorectal, lung and prostate cancers whereas for females, they comprise breast, colorectal and cervical cancers.
Central to this discussion is that the pandemic has led to the reallocation of healthcare resources to cater for the influx in Covid-19-related hospitalisations. Particularly, during the first movement control order (MCO), cancer-screening services were limited, cancer surgeries were postponed, and clinical visits and imaging appointments were deferred.