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The grass is greener?
26 October 2007
By Dr ALBERT LIM KOK HOOI
Cancer treatment in a globalised world (in other words, how to save on foreign exchange).
THE World is Flat by Thomas Friedman is a must-read for those of us trying to demystify a rapidly changing globalised world. Convergence of technology and developments in telecommunications have allowed China, India and other countries to become part of the global supply chain for services and manufacturing.
There is now a burgeoning educated and wealthy middle class in these countries. In a way, the book is a wake-up call for rich Western nations if they wish to adapt to the twenty-first century.
Malaysians also need a wake-up call of a similar kind. There is another flattened-out world out there waiting for us to tread on. This flat world is available to all without reservation. We smell and pick the roses as we survey this Elysian field of scientific discovery and knowledge. There are books and journals. There is satellite television. There is the Internet. If we ever lack knowledge in the pure sciences, don’t despair. We can drink from the fount.
Which brings me to the point of this essay: there is no need in most instances for any patient – particularly any cancer patient – to go abroad for treatment.
Cancer is a heterogeneous disease, with more than a hundred different “diseases” that come to mind. A discussion of one such common scenario should make it clear why the world is flat in oncology and by extension all other medical disciplines.
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC) is a cancer that originated in the large intestine and that has spread to another organ, usually the liver. It may also spread to the lungs, bones and other sites in the body.
For further reading, kindly visit The Star Online
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