The Onco Life Podcast

DR. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE
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Welcome to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for cancer care insights, treatment updates, and patient-centered education. Hosted by the team at Onco Life Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this podcast is designed to guide patients, caregivers, and listeners through every stage of the cancer journey. Each episode features expert advice from our oncologists, wellness tips, treatment innovations, and answers to the most common questions about cancer types, therapies, and recovery. 🎧 Empowering you with knowledge, support, and compassionate care—every step of the way. 📍 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🌐 Learn more at oncolifecentre.com

  1. 16h ago

    Breast Cancer: Can a Blood Test Spot Resistance Earlier?

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. In this episode, we break down the FDA's new accelerated approval for a breast cancer treatment guided by an early resistance blood test, and what it could mean for patients already in treatment. You'll learn: - Why the FDA called this the first cancer approval guided by a resistance mutation found in blood before a scan shows progression - How a blood test for circulating tumor DNA works - Why fewer than 5 percent of patients carry this resistance mutation at diagnosis, while nearly 40 percent develop it later - What the pivotal trial found: 16 months without disease progression versus 9.2 months for patients who continued their original therapy - Why an FDA advisory panel voted against calling the trial results clinically meaningful - What conditions come with this accelerated approval, including a boxed warning for irregular heart rhythm - Why this approach currently applies only to patients already diagnosed and already in treatment This approval marks an early step toward monitoring breast cancer treatment resistance through blood rather than waiting for scans. Regulators still want more proof that earlier action extends survival, not just the time before the next scan. Blog Link: Breast Cancer: Can a Blood Test Spot Resistance Earlier? Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  2. 1d ago

    Uterine Cancer Symptoms: When Bleeding Needs Checking

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode explains the symptoms of uterine cancer, especially abnormal bleeding, and when they're worth getting checked. You'll learn: - Why bleeding that is heavier, longer, or oddly timed is the clearest early sign of uterine cancer - Why post menopausal bleeding in particular needs urgent attention, even light spotting - Other symptoms beyond bleeding, including pelvic pain, unusual discharge, and bloating - What raises the risk of uterine cancer, including Lynch syndrome and other inherited factors - The difference between endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma, the two main types - How doctors actually diagnose uterine cancer, from a pelvic exam to a transvaginal ultrasound and tissue sample - Why no blood test alone can confirm or rule out uterine cancer If you've noticed a change in your bleeding pattern, this episode covers what it might mean and when it's worth a doctor's visit. Blog Link: Uterine Cancer Symptoms: When Bleeding Needs Checking Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  3. 3d ago

    Cervical Cancer Screening in Malaysia: HPV Tests and Pap Smears

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode explains the difference between an HPV test and a Pap smear, who needs which one in Malaysia, and how often screening should happen. You'll learn: - Why cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that regular screening can catch before it ever develops - The real difference between an HPV test and a Pap smear - Why Malaysia's national guidelines now favor the HPV test as the primary screening tool for most women - What actually happens during either test, and why it's quick even when uncomfortable - Who should be screened and how often, by age group, under Malaysia's 2023 guidelines - Why a negative HPV test allows a longer 5-year gap before the next screening - Where to access screening in Malaysia, including the free national HPV DNA self-sampling programme for eligible women aged 30 to 65 Whether you're due for your first screening or trying to understand which test applies to you, this episode covers what to expect and when. Blog Link: Cervical Cancer Screening in Malaysia: HPV Tests and Pap Smears Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  4. 6d ago

    What Happens During a Cancer Biopsy and What to Expect

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode walks through what actually happens during a biopsy, the different procedure types, and how a small tissue sample becomes a confirmed diagnosis. You'll learn: - Why a biopsy is usually the final step toward a diagnosis, not the first - The difference between needle biopsies and interventional (image-guided) biopsies used for internal organs like the lung, liver, and pancreas - When doctors choose a surgical or excisional biopsy instead - What a bone marrow biopsy involves and why it's used for blood-related cancers - Why the lab step after collection, not the biopsy procedure itself, is what actually confirms a diagnosis - Common concerns people have, including pain, the (very rare) risk of spreading cancer cells, and overall safety - What biopsy results reveal, and how they help guide treatment decisions If you or someone you care about has an upcoming biopsy, this episode covers what to expect at every stage. Blog Link: What Happens During a Cancer Biopsy and What to Expect Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  5. Sep 3

    ASCO Breast Cancer Guidance: When Is Hormone Therapy Enough?

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode looks at ASCO's August 2026 guideline update on endocrine therapy for breast cancer, including when this treatment alone is enough and when doctors consider adding more. You'll learn: - Why ASCO updated its breast cancer treatment guidance in August 2026 - How doctors now estimate individual risk instead of relying on trial resemblance - Why endocrine therapy remains the treatment foundation for hormone receptor-positive disease - What the risk thresholds are for considering additional treatment - How ovarian suppression works for premenopausal women - Why extending treatment duration involves a trade-off with side effects - What this update means for treatment duration going forward - How doctors and patients weigh benefit against side effects together This update reflects a broader shift in cancer care toward matching treatment intensity to each patient's actual risk, rather than following blanket rules. Blog Link: ASCO Breast Cancer Guidance: When Is Hormone Therapy Enough? Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  6. Sep 2

    Liver Cancer Screening for Hepatitis B Carriers in Malaysia

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode explains why chronic hepatitis B carriers face a much higher risk of liver cancer, and walks through what regular screening for it actually looks like in practice. You'll learn: - Why chronic hepatitis B raises liver cancer risk by 15 to 20 times compared with people who are not infected - Why liver cancer often causes no symptoms until it is already advanced - What an abdominal ultrasound and an AFP blood test each check for, and why doctors combine them - Who the World Health Organization recommends for six-monthly screening, including anyone with cirrhosis or a family history of liver cancer - Why carriers without those risk factors are generally advised to start screening from age 40 - Why Malaysia currently has no national liver cancer screening programme, and what that means for carriers - What a clear result can and cannot tell you, and why false positives are a normal part of surveillance - Why catching liver cancer early, while a tumor is still small, keeps curative treatment options realistic If you are a hepatitis B carrier, or care for someone who is, this episode covers what surveillance actually involves and why the six-month interval matters. Blog Link: Liver Cancer Screening for Hepatitis B Carriers in Malaysia Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  7. Aug 31

    A Lung Nodule Was Found on Your Scan: What Happens Next

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode walks through what it means when a lung nodule turns up on a scan, why it's common, and what the follow-up process usually looks like. You'll learn: - Why a lung nodule is a common finding and does not automatically mean cancer - The difference between a solid nodule and a ground-glass nodule - What chest x-rays, CT scans, and PET scans each check for - What makes a nodule more or less concerning, including size, shape, and growth over time - Why active surveillance is often the first step for small, low-risk nodules - How personal risk factors, like smoking history and age, change the recommended next steps - The difference between a routine nodule finding and lung cancer screening - What changes once a nodule is confirmed as early lung cancer Whether you or someone you care about just had a nodule found, this episode covers what typically happens next and when it is worth a closer look. Blog Link: A Lung Nodule Was Found on Your Scan: What Happens Next Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

  8. Aug 28

    Cancer Insurance in Malaysia: What’s Covered and What’s Not

    Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast. This episode breaks down how cancer insurance actually works in Malaysia, from what a typical policy covers to the fine print that catches people off guard. You'll learn: - What cancer insurance typically covers, including hospital stays, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy - The difference between lump sum payouts and reimbursement based policies - Why waiting periods, often around 60 days, can delay a claim - How pre-existing conditions are commonly excluded from coverage - What a lifetime limit means for your total payout over time - How PIDM protects your eligible insurance benefits, separate from your policy's own terms - The difference between a comprehensive cancer plan and a basic rider - Two overlooked details worth asking your insurer about, oral cancer drug coverage and cancer genomics testing coverage Whether you are comparing plans or trying to understand a policy you already have, this episode walks through the details that matter most. Blog Link: Cancer Insurance in Malaysia: What's Covered and What's Not Send us Fan Mail Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

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About

Welcome to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for cancer care insights, treatment updates, and patient-centered education. Hosted by the team at Onco Life Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this podcast is designed to guide patients, caregivers, and listeners through every stage of the cancer journey. Each episode features expert advice from our oncologists, wellness tips, treatment innovations, and answers to the most common questions about cancer types, therapies, and recovery. 🎧 Empowering you with knowledge, support, and compassionate care—every step of the way. 📍 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🌐 Learn more at oncolifecentre.com

Information

  • Creator
    DR. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    254
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Onco Life Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Onco Life Podcast