Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM) has launched Malaysia’s first-ever clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for the peri-operative management of early-stage respectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in a move poised to transform lung cancer care nationwide.
According to a report by CodeBlue, the landmark guidelines were introduced during the third National Lung Cancer Symposium held in Kuala Lumpur on April 26, 2025. They have received official endorsement from the Malaysian Thoracic Society, Malaysian Oncological Society, Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and the College of Surgeons, Academy of Medicine Malaysia.
Professor Anand Sachithanandan, founding president of LCNM and chair of the surgical guidelines expert working group, said the release of these guidelines is timely, considering the significant lung cancer burden in Malaysia.
Based on data from the National Cancer Registry Report (2017–2021), CodeBlue reports that lung cancer—mainly NSCLC—is the second most common cancer among Malaysian men and the third most common among women. However, a staggering 95% of cases are detected in the late stages (Stage 3 or 4), when curative options are limited.
Prof Sachithanandan, a senior cardiothoracic surgeon and honorary professor at both University Malaya and Sunway University, said the treatment landscape has evolved significantly with advances in diagnostics and therapies.
“These clinical practice guidelines are intended to harmonise and elevate the standard of lung cancer care in Malaysia,” he said. “They reflect current evidence-based medicine, adapted for the Malaysian healthcare landscape, incorporating local expertise, resources, and real-world challenges.”
The guidelines stress a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach to care, with surgery remaining a central component in the management of early-stage disease.
The expert working group included cardiothoracic and general thoracic surgeons from various sectors—Ministry of Health hospitals, universities, and private medical centres. Contributors were Prof Soon Sing Yang (Sarawak), Dr Adrian Ooi Seng Wae (Malacca), Dr Diong Nyuk Chai (Johor), Prof John Chan Kok Meng (Kuala Lumpur), Prof K Sivakumar Krishnasamy (Kuala Lumpur), Assoc Prof Dr Adli Azam (Johor), Dr Lam Hong Yoong (Penang), and Dr Narasimman Sathiamurthy (Kuala Lumpur), in addition to Prof Sachithanandan.
In Malaysia, lung cancer surgeries are primarily performed by cardiothoracic and some general thoracic surgeons across the public and private sectors. Prof Sachithanandan said that all patients, regardless of treatment setting, deserve high-quality, timely care—a standard the new guidelines aim to ensure.
Beyond clinical protocols, the CPG is also designed to serve as an educational tool for training future specialists. LCNM, he added, remains deeply committed to mentorship and capacity building, and strongly supports the Ministry of Health’s Lung Health Initiative (LHI) to address the rising incidence of non-communicable lung diseases, particularly advanced-stage lung cancer.
“We welcome the Health Minister’s visionary leadership in steering Malaysia’s efforts to introduce a landmark resolution at the World Health Assembly 2025 in Geneva, calling for lung health—including lung cancer care—to be a global priority,” he told CodeBlue.
Prof Sachithanandan also underscored the importance of effective tobacco control, air pollution reduction, and targeted screening in high-risk groups to improve early detection and outcomes.
“Lung cancer is potentially curable if caught early, and treatment is far more cost-effective in early stages—not just for patients and their families, but for the entire healthcare system,” he said.
He added that achieving this requires a “whole-of-society” effort—public education, stigma reduction, prevention strategies, and sustainable funding for national screening programmes.
