The Onco Life Podcast

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at why cholangiocarcinoma so often stays silent for years, its three main tumor types, and the risk factors and treatment options worth knowing about.

You'll learn:
- Why cholangiocarcinoma often causes no symptoms until it blocks bile flow
- The three main tumor types and why their location matters for treatment
- The most common signs, including jaundice, itching, pale stools, and dark urine
- Why liver fluke infection is one of the strongest known risk factors in parts of Southeast Asia
- How primary sclerosing cholangitis and chronic liver disease can also raise risk
- How doctors diagnose and stage the cancer before planning treatment
- Why surgical resection offers the best chance at a cure, and when it isn't possible

If you or a loved one is navigating a diagnosis, or fits any of these risk factors, it's worth bringing up with your doctor.

Blog Link: Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer): Why It's Often Diagnosed Late

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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.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at how to tell ordinary heartburn apart from warning signs that need a doctor's attention, and what happens between GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and cancer risk.

You'll learn:
- How GERD develops from long-term acid exposure
- How Barrett's esophagus fits into that pathway, and why most people with it never develop cancer
- The warning signs that go beyond typical reflux: difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, and persistent chest pain
- Why a hoarse voice or a feeling of food sticking in the throat is also worth mentioning to a doctor
- How ordinary reflux and warning signs actually differ in pattern
- Why an endoscopy is usually the first step in telling the two apart
- What diagnosis and treatment for esophageal cancer typically involve

If your reflux has changed pattern, stopped responding to the usual remedies, or come with any of these warning signs, bring it up with your doctor rather than reaching for another antacid.

Blog Link: Oesophageal Cancer: When Heartburn Is More Than Acid Reflux

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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.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at why ovarian cancer is so often diagnosed late, the everyday signs that get overlooked, and what the numbers show about catching it early.

You'll learn:
- Why ovarian cancer earned the nickname "silent killer"
- Why there is no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer
- The most commonly reported signs, including bloating, pelvic pain, and feeling full quickly
- How urinary changes can also signal a problem
- Why five-year survival rates drop sharply by stage, from around 89% at stage 1 to about 20% at stage 4
- Why most people diagnosed with ovarian cancer find out only after it has already spread
- How family history can raise personal risk and when genetic testing may help
- What typically happens after an ovarian cancer diagnosis

If any of this sounds familiar, or you have a family history worth discussing, bring it up with your doctor sooner rather than later.

Blog Link: Ovarian Cancer Symptoms: Why It's Called the Silent Cancer

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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.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

A major 2026 update to U.S. bladder cancer guidelines reshapes how often patients should be checked after treatment. This episode looks at what changed and why.

You'll learn:
- A 2026 AUA and SUO guideline update refreshed how often bladder cancer checkups should happen
- Checkup frequency depends on original risk group, from low risk to high risk and carcinoma in situ
- Cystoscopy and urine cytology remain the two most common tests used to monitor for recurrence
- CT imaging of the upper urinary tract plays a supporting role, especially in higher risk disease
- Patients who had a radical cystectomy follow a different monitoring path using imaging and blood work instead of cystoscopy
- Anyone living with a urinary diversion also needs regular vitamin B12 and kidney function checks
- Two randomized trials found urine biomarker testing could safely reduce some cystoscopy visits
- The guideline panel still recommends cystoscopy and urine cytology as the backbone of monitoring for now

Staying on schedule with checkups remains the most reliable way to catch any change early. Always talk with your own care team about the plan that fits your risk group.

Blog Link: Bladder Cancer Follow-Up: How Often Should You Be Checked?

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.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode covers the most common signs of a brain tumour, from headache patterns to vision changes, and when they warrant a doctor's attention.

You'll learn:
- Why symptoms depend heavily on the tumour's location and size
- What sets a tumour-related headache apart from an ordinary one
- The vision changes and eye problems that can signal a tumour
- Other signs to watch for, including weakness, seizures, and personality changes
- The difference between primary and secondary brain tumours
- Who faces a higher risk, and how genetic counseling can help
- When a new symptom warrants prompt medical attention

If you're noticing any of these signs, especially in combination, it's worth bringing up with your doctor.

Blog Link: Brain Tumour Symptoms: Headaches, Vision Changes, and More

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.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at inherited cancer risk, including which family history patterns point toward genetic testing and what to expect from the process.

You'll learn:
- Roughly how many cancer diagnoses come from an inherited gene mutation
- The family history patterns that suggest genetic testing is worth considering
- What a genetic test actually looks for, and how long results take
- Why speaking with a genetic counselor first matters before ordering a test
- How two of the most common hereditary cancer syndromes affect risk
- How screening age changes for someone with a known inherited risk
- How genetic testing decisions vary by cancer type
- What health insurance in Malaysia typically covers for genetic testing

Understanding your family history is the first step toward knowing whether genetic testing could offer real answers for you and your family.

Blog Link: Hereditary Cancer Risk: When Should You Get Genetic Testing?

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.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at gastrointestinal stromal tumors, including why they so often cause no symptoms and how doctors find and treat them.

You'll learn:
- What a gastrointestinal stromal tumor is and where it typically grows
- Why roughly one in five of these tumors cause no symptoms at all
- What symptoms to watch for when they do appear
- How doctors diagnose a GIST using imaging and biopsy
- Why tumor size and mitotic rate matter for evaluating risk
- Who is more likely to develop this type of tumor
- How doctors treat GISTs, including surgery and targeted therapy
- What questions to ask if a scan or biopsy points to a GIST

Whether a GIST is found because of symptoms or by accident during an unrelated scan, understanding the diagnosis is the first step toward a clear treatment plan.

Blog Link: GIST Tumour Symptoms: Why It's Often Found by Accident

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.

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.

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.

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.