KUCHING: Multidisciplinary collaboration is enhancing cancer diagnosis and treatment in Sarawak, with Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) leading efforts to provide comprehensive hepatobiliary care.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said teamwork across medical specialties is vital in transforming the quality of care for patients with liver, pancreas and biliary tract cancers.
“Teamwork across specialties is not just valuable but essential in delivering the best care for patients with hepatobiliary cancers,” he said during the Third Borneo Liver, Pancreas and Biliary Tract Cancers Conference today.
Dr Sim noted that through collaboration among various specialists, SGH has made significant progress in providing coordinated and comprehensive care for hepatobiliary cancers.
Since the establishment of its multidisciplinary team in 2021, SGH’s specialists have worked together to plan and deliver treatment, making it the only hospital in Malaysia offering fully integrated hepatobiliary cancer care.
Dr Sim highlighted that Sarawak, being endemic for hepatitis B and C, continues to face a rising burden of liver cancer.
“Many remain unaware of their infection status, going untreated until it is too late. Combined with Malaysia’s high obesity rate, liver cancer can also strike those without hepatitis, making it a silent killer,” he said.
Over the past three years, SGH has diagnosed more than 400 liver cancer cases, most at late stages, with only 35 per cent eligible for curative treatment.
In 2024 alone, the hospital performed over 1,000 ERCPs, 380 endoscopic ultrasounds, and 80 cancer surgeries, all of which are vital for diagnosis and treatment planning.
Dr Sim added that SGH is recognised as one of Malaysia’s leading oncology centres, participating in more than 100 clinical trials, including six first-in-human studies that provide Sarawakians access to advanced therapies.
However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges such as logistical and financial barriers, limited operating theatre availability with waiting times exceeding 35 days, and manpower shortages among nurses and medical assistants.
He emphasised that early diagnosis and closer collaboration among specialists are crucial to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients.
Dr Sim called for continued innovation and stronger partnerships across borders to advance hepatobiliary care in Sarawak.
