COREC Initiative to improve colorectal cancer screening, early detection

The Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) collaborated with MIMS to launch an awareness campaign known as the COREC Initiative: Battling colorectal cancer together in early April.

The initiative is aimed at improving the clinical outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), mainly by promoting early recognition and treatment, said Dr Awi Curameng, Director (Regional Medical & Society Engagement), MIMS, in his welcome remarks during the COREC Initiative Introductory Symposium webinar.

“We aim to provide insights into the local disease burden of CRC and the current treatment landscape and elucidate the objectives of the COREC Initiative, and how it can help drive meaningful changes in terms of disease management and improving patient outcomes,” he added.

During the launch symposium, eminent speakers from MOH provided a broad overview of CRC in Malaysia and the current management, and most importantly, introduced the main learning elements of the COREC Initiative and how healthcare professionals were expected to participate in the CPD programme.

The Malaysia National Cancer Registry (MNCR) Report 2012–2016 stated CRC is the second most common cancer among the general population; most common among men and second most common among women, said Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha, Deputy Director (Non-Communicable Diseases), Disease Control Division, MOH. [https://www3.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Laporan/Umum/2012-2016%20(MNCRR)/MNCR_2012-2016_FINAL_(PUBLISHED_2019).pdf?msclkid=e5cf9126c51611ec852bc2d0be90e0c1]

MNCR also revealed more than 70 percent of patients were diagnosed at stage III and IV. Late diagnosis affected the prognosis where the 5-year survival rates were 55.6 percent and 17.3 percent for patients diagnosed with stage III and IV, respectively. Late diagnosis had severe implications on healthcare costs as well as living costs borne by the patients and their family members. This situation can be improved through prevention and early detection, said Feisul.

MOH is focused on early detection that involves screening the target group of asymptomatic individuals aged 50–75 and identifying the signs and symptoms of CRC. The objectives of early detection include identifying precancerous lesions and localized cancer and managing them appropriately, Feisul added.

In terms of current management practices of CRC, the non-invasive immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) is used to screen the average-risk population while colonoscopy is used in early detection of CRC, explained Dr Rosaida Md Said, senior consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist, Hospital Serdang. [http://colorectalmy.org/downloads/CPG_ManagementOfColorectalCarcinoma.pdf?msclkid=b794ace6c51611ec9e79044606ecc1e2]

The COREC Initiative is a structured training programme tailored to improve CRC awareness and knowledge among healthcare professionals, including primary care physicians (family medicine specialists and GPs), specialty physicians and allied health professionals. The programme aims to increase rates of early screening and prompt treatment of CRC and improve the clinical outcomes of CRC in Malaysia.