KUCHING, Oct 13 — Sarawak should consider targeted screening for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) among its highest-risk communities, particularly Bidayuh men aged 40 and above.
The East Malaysian state continues to record some of the world’s highest NPC rates despite decades of research into the disease.
At an NPC symposium focused on Sarawak, clinicians, epidemiologists, researchers, and patient advocates said the challenge was no longer simply understanding the science behind NPC, but translating available evidence into practical, affordable, and community-based screening and treatment programmes.
The Bidayuh community in Sarawak has been reported to carry one of the highest NPC burdens globally, with recent data cited at the symposium showing an incidence rate of 81 per 100,000 among the Bidayuh ethnic group.
