KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Bernama) — Cancer continues to rise as a chronic disease, standing as the second leading cause of death globally (9.7 million cases) in 2022. In Malaysia, cancer has ascended to the third most common cause of death (15.2 thousand cases) in 2022, moving up from the fourth position in 2021. Updated cancer data in Malaysia is crucial for steering, planning, and implementing more effective measures for cancer prevention, control, and treatment.
To achieve this goal, Malaysia National Cancer Registry (MNCR) was established in 2007, initially relying on manual reporting. Over the period from 2007 to 2018, two (2) five-year reports were published to illustrate the cancer burden in Malaysia. In 2018, the introduction of online cancer case reporting through the Malaysian Health Data Warehouse website streamlined data collection processes. Additionally, a circular in 2020 mandated online cancer notifications, leading to substantial increase in the reported cases to the MNCR.