Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at ASCO's August 2026 guideline update for HER2-positive gastric cancer, including what changed for first-line treatment and why biomarker testing now happens earlier.

You'll learn:
- Why ASCO updated its HER2-positive gastric cancer guideline in August 2026
- What the four newly recommended biomarker tests are
- How new trial results changed first-line treatment options
- What second-line options exist if first-line treatment stops working
- Why the timing of biomarker testing matters for patients
- Roughly what percentage of stomach cancers are HER2-positive
- What question patients should ask their care team about biomarker testing
- How often ASCO reviews this guideline going forward

This update reflects one of the more significant shifts in gastric cancer care in recent years, and it gives both patients and care teams a clearer path forward.

Blog Link: HER2-Positive Stomach Cancer: What ASCO Now Recommends

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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.

This episode breaks down who faces the highest risk of nasopharyngeal cancer in Malaysia, and why the country sees rates far higher than most of the world.

You'll learn:
- Why nasopharyngeal cancer risk varies so sharply by ethnicity in Malaysia
- Why Chinese Malaysians and indigenous communities in Sarawak and Sabah face some of the highest rates in the world
- How Epstein-Barr virus infection connects to the most common local subtype
- Which diet, lifestyle, and occupational factors raise risk, including salt-preserved foods and wood dust exposure
- How age, gender, and family history shape individual risk
- Why nearly half of Malaysian cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage
- What symptoms are worth acting on if you have several of these risk factors

Understanding your own risk factors can genuinely change how early this cancer gets caught. For the full breakdown, read the article linked below.

Blog Link: Who Is at Risk of Nasopharyngeal Cancer 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.

This episode breaks down what the numbers actually mean when it comes to pancreatic cancer, and why stage at diagnosis makes such a dramatic difference.

You'll learn:
- How large population databases like SEER calculate a 5-year relative survival rate
- What the current numbers are for localized, regional, and distant pancreatic cancer
- Why the combined survival figure sits so much lower than the localized one
- What the CA 19-9 tumor marker is and how doctors use it
- How TNM staging, stage I through stage IV, relates to the SEER categories
- Why age, overall health, and treatment response shape outlook beyond stage
- Why early detection makes such a dramatic difference in outlook

These are population statistics, not a personal prediction. Only your own oncologist can put these numbers in context for your situation. For the full breakdown, read the article linked below.

Blog Link: Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rates: What the Numbers Mean by Stage

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.