KUALA LUMPUR – Cancer is no longer a disease that predominantly affects older people as it is increasingly common among the young, with medical experts saying earlier exposure to unhealthy lifestyle habits is a risk factor.
Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s (HKL) radiotherapy and oncology department head, Dr Ros Suzanna Ahmad Bustamam, said the most common cancers in males in the 15 to 24 age group were lymphoma (24.2%), leukaemia (19.3%) and testicular cancer (12.4%).
For females in the same age group, lymphoma (21.1%) is also the most common cancer, followed by thyroid (14.8%) and ovarian cancer (13.2%), she told Scoop, citing data from the Malaysian Cancer Registry report 2012-2016.
Besides better cancer screening technology and greater awareness on the importance of early screening, cancer diagnoses in the young may be increasing because of risk factors in the environment and lifestyles.
The National Cancer Society of Malaysia’s managing director Dr Murallitharan Munisamy described cancer as a “disease of exposure”, in reference to unhealthy eating, alcohol consumption and smoking habits that are risk factors in non-genetic cancers.
“(In previous generations), people who got cancer in their 40s and 50s (may have had) smoking and drinking habits.
“Now, the challenge is that people are getting exposed to these habits at a much younger age.
“There are even kids who start smoking at 6 or 7-years-old, so by the time they are in their 20s, they will have had about 18 to 20 years of exposure. This can be a factor for cancer at a young age,” he told Scoop.
Murallitharan expressed sadness at the various kinds of leukaemia reported among young patients.
He told of a young patient in his 20s who suffered from a rare type of leukaemia that affected his brain.
“It is sad to see young people getting cancer and to see the person have so much hope of fighting the disease, but the disease is very aggressive,” he said, adding that the patient mentioned was still alive but suffering greatly.
HKL’s Ros Suzanna said smoking added to the risk of cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, voice box, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney, while being around second-hand smoke also increased the risk of lung cancer.
On vaping or e-cigarettes, she said the risk was also there due to them containing some similar substances with cigarettes.
“Vaping is rather new (compared to traditional cigarettes), so we may not yet be clear about it, but the ingredients contained in vapes and e-cigarettes are also quite similar to cigarettes. Nicotine might not bring about cancer but the other contents could,” she said.
Good health is a journey, best to start young
Ros Suzanna, a clinical oncologist, says the usual advice about eating right and regular exercise remained true.
Given the wide range of food options in Malaysia, including many delicious but high-fat and high-sugar choices, she advocated discipline in making the right diet choices.
Although obesity is often linked with heart disease and diabetes, it is also a risk factor for cancer, especially if one consumes fast food and processed meats excessively, she said.
“Eating processed meat can slightly increase the risk of certain cancers. Practising a Western diet with more meat, especially red meats, has links to colorectal cancer that affects the colon, which is the large intestine or rectum.
“A Mediterranean diet, meanwhile, with extra virgin olive oil, some nuts and fish, has been found to be a better diet option,” she said.
Regular exercise also lowers the risk of some cancers, besides helping to control weight gain.
“Physical activity itself helps to lower the risk of breast and colon cancers. For the most benefit, strive for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of hard aerobic exercise.”
The beauty advice to use sunscreen, meanwhile, is not just for fair skin but is a logical measure against skin cancer, which is one of the most preventable cancers, Ros Suzanna said.
“Applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days, is important. Using an umbrella or cap to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays is also recommended.”
She also urged young adults to be careful of claims by anti-vaccination groups, as science had proven that the vaccines against hepatitis B to prevent liver cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV) against cervical cancer worked.
Early detection saves lives
Ros Suzanna also emphasised regular self-examination and screenings of the skin, colon, cervix and breasts to help detect early-stage cancers.
“When cancer is detected early at Stage 1 or Stage 2, and patients receive proper, complete treatment, the chance of a cure from the disease can reach as high as 90% or more.
“Different cancers will have different treatments, but the treatment is not just about removing the tumour but also the micrometastases with the potential to relapse,” she said.
She stressed the importance of screenings because some cancers showed no symptoms in the early stages.
The earlier a cancer is treated, the easier and cheaper treatment is, compared to treatments and quality of life when the disease is at an advanced stage, she added.
According to the Fees (Medical) (Amendment) Order 2017, government hospital patients can get subsidised treatment up to 75%, or even free treatment based on the patients’ socioeconomic class, Ros Suzanna said.
Malaysians who are not able to afford to spend much on cancer treatments may use this subsidy at government hospitals, she said. – June 4, 2024