he National Cancer Congress Malaysia (NCCM) 2026 brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, patient advocates and industry leaders to strengthen cancer control across Malaysia. Jointly organised by the National Cancer Society Malaysia and Sunway University, the congress was held from 4 to 6 September 2026 at Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor.
Under the theme “Bridging Gaps, Building Hope, Empowering Lives,” NCCM 2026 provided a national platform for exchanging knowledge, fostering collaboration and exploring innovative approaches throughout the cancer-care continuum. Its scientific programme addressed five principal areas: prevention, screening and diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and public health, policy and advocacy.
Professor Dr Victor Hoe Chee Wai Abdullah, Head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, contributed as an Executive Plenary Speaker in the Prevention track. His presentation, “Cleaner Environments and Safer Workplaces,” examined how policy, employers and industry can reduce exposure to air pollution, occupational hazards and environmental carcinogens.
Professor Hoe organised his presentation around three interconnected cancer risks: tobacco smoke, polluted air and workplace carcinogens. While tobacco control remains essential, he stressed that cancer prevention must also address the environments in which people live and work.
Workplace carcinogens discussed included crystalline silica in construction and engineered-stone work, diesel exhaust in transport and port operations, asbestos in repair and demolition, wood dust and formaldehyde in furniture manufacturing, and nickel and hexavalent chromium in metalwork.
A central concern was the under-recognition of occupational cancers. Evidence presented from 962 oncology records at two Klang Valley centres showed that specific occupational exposure histories appeared in only about 0.2% of the records. In 2021, only one confirmed occupational cancer was reported to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, while six occupational-disease claims were recorded by the Social Security Organisation.
Professor Hoe argued that better data are essential for effective prevention. He proposed that oncology records routinely capture four fields: a patient’s job, industry, duration of employment and relevant hazardous agents. Connecting this information with the National Cancer Registry and occupational health agencies would help identify high-risk occupations and reveal the true burden of work-related cancer.
He also called for stronger enforcement of existing occupational safety and health requirements, particularly in high-risk industries and smaller workplaces. Other proposals included a national timetable to eliminate chrysotile asbestos, stronger controls on silica exposure from engineered stone, and platform-based protocols that use Air Pollutant Index readings to trigger alerts, work pauses and protective measures for gig and other outdoor workers.
Professor Hoe concluded with a clear public-health message:
“You cannot prevent what you refuse to count.”
His call to “count it, enforce it, eliminate it and protect the worker” placed occupational and environmental health firmly within Malaysia’s cancer-prevention agenda.
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