Global Health Asia-Pacific July 2020 July 2020 | Page 39
The Fight Against Cancer
- Dr Aqilah Othman, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Sunway Medical Centre
In 2018, the International Agency for Research on
Cancer, established by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) reported that there were more than 43,000 new
cancer cases and more than 25,000 reported deaths.
To combat rising forms of cancer, the Malaysian
government has allocated RM 216.3 million for cancer
treatment in the 2020 budget. Cancer has always been
seen as a full-stop to people’s lives. There is a real
fear to be on the other end of the doctor’s table,
receiving the news that they are now on borrowed
time. The finality seems terrifying. That is why new
cancer treatments are being researched the most in
the medical field.
To Sunway Medical Centre, cancer should never be
the end. It is a short pause, a comma. In order to
combat cancer, the hospital makes great strides in
keeping up with the latest developments and by hiring
talented specialists in the field. Sunway
Medical Centre’s most recent addition include
Dr Aqilah Othman, its new consultant clinical oncologist,
and Accuray’s Radiaxact X9 Tomotherapy system.
Breaking Through New Frontiers
When it comes to cancer treatment, one of the main
concerns for patients is the effectiveness and
precision of the treatment prescribed. Treatment has
to be personalised to the individual as not every case
is the same and every individual reacts to treatment
differently. The Radixact X9 Tomotherapy Treatment
Delivery System is a fully-integrated platform for
uniquely smart treatment planning, data
management, and treatment delivery. Its features,
namely Accuray Precision Treatment Planning, iDMS
Data Management, and Radixact Treatment Delivery
Systems, deliver effective x-ray radiation treatments
via efficient workflows and precise treatment
techniques. So much so it is also capable of treating
multiple tumours in one session. Plan, assess, and
treat. All in one system. All on one machine.
In general, there is a higher chance of people living
longer despite the diagnosis of cancer due to early
detection, more effective treatment and
developments in medical technology. The availability
of state-of-the-art imaging and treatment modalities
allows the disease to be effectively treated whilst
minimising side effects. These facilitate returning to
normal life as much as possible.
The Doctor is In
Dr Aqilah Othman is Sunway Medical Centre’s latest
Consultant Clinical Oncologist. Being able to proficiently
speak Malay, English, and Cantonese, her
career in oncology started at the Beatson West of
Scotland Cancer Centre, the country’s largest
internationally renowned cancer centre. There, she
has won several awards including the RCR-Cyclotron
Trust Visiting Fellowship, Royal College of Radiologists
and the Elizabeth Lockhart Prize in Anthropolgy
Lockhart Prize in Anthropology for Medical Students.
Dr Aqilah clinically focuses on systemic therapy for
adult cancers and radiotherapy. Procedurally, she
focuses on Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy and
Radiotherapy, comprising treatments such as
Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, and
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy.
International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2019). Malaysia. Source (Globocan). [online]
Available at: gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/458-malaysia-fact-sheets.pdf
[Accessed 05 Dec. 2019]
Malaymail. (2019). Health minister: Number of cancer cases alarming [online]. Available at:
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/11/23/health-minister-number-of-cancer-cases-alarming/1812695
[Accessed 5 Dec. 2019]
INTERNATIONAL PATIENT CENTRE
+60374941098 smc_inthelpdesk@sunway.com.my sunwaymedical.com
Sunway Medical Centre Sdn Bhd No.5, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
T +603-7491 9191 / 5566 9191 E smc@sunway.com.my