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

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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 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

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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 looks at what the numbers really mean when it comes to nasopharyngeal cancer survival, and what shapes outlook beyond stage alone.

You'll learn:
- How large population databases like SEER calculate a 5-year relative survival rate
- What the current survival rates are for localized, regional, and distant nasopharyngeal cancer
- Why EBV DNA levels in the blood can influence prognosis
- How the WHO classifies nasopharyngeal cancer subtypes, and why that matters
- How TNM staging, stage I through stage IV, relates to the SEER categories
- Why treatment delays and interruptions during radiation can worsen outcomes
- Why early detection makes such a large 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: Nasopharyngeal Cancer Survival Rates and Outlook 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.

This episode breaks down two of the most common non-small cell lung cancer subtypes, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and explains why getting the subtype right shapes the entire treatment plan.

You'll learn:
- Why adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are subtypes of NSCLC, not competing diagnoses
- Where each subtype typically starts in the lung and how they relate to smoking history
- Why targeted therapy is more often an option for adenocarcinoma than for squamous cell carcinoma
- How doctors confirm the subtype through biopsy, biomarker testing, and imaging
- What large cell carcinoma and combined small cell carcinoma are, and how they differ from the two main subtypes
- Why the subtype, not just the stage, shapes which treatments are realistic options
- What biomarker testing checks for and why it matters for treatment planning

Neither subtype is inherently more serious than the other. Getting an accurate diagnosis is what determines the right treatment path. For the full breakdown, read the article linked below.

Blog Link: Adenocarcinoma vs Squamous NSCLC: How the Subtypes Differ

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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 looks at ASTRO's 2026 update to its pancreatic cancer radiation guideline, the American Society for Radiation Oncology's first revision since 2019. We break down what changed, what the evidence shows, and what still needs to be proven.

You'll learn:
- Why ASTRO updated its pancreatic cancer radiation guideline for the first time since 2019
- How the new guideline supports dose escalation with stereotactic body radiation therapy
- Why online adaptive radiation planning is now recommended whenever that dose is escalated
- What the PREOPANC-2, CONKO-007, and SABER trials found about local tumor control and survival
- Why the ongoing NRG-GI011 trial matters for proving a survival benefit
- How access to advanced adaptive treatment technology still varies by hospital
- What the update means for a newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patient

The takeaway is that radiation technique keeps improving, but the survival question is still being tested in ongoing trials. For the full details and sourcing, read the article linked below.

Blog Link: New 2026 Pancreatic Cancer Radiation Guidelines: What Patients Should Know

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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.

Choosing the right uterine cancer treatment plan depends on the cancer’s stage, type, genetic features, and the patient’s overall health. This episode explains how specialists evaluate uterine cancer and create a personalized treatment plan using surgery, radiation, systemic therapies, and other options.

• How biopsy, pathology, and imaging guide treatment decisions
• Why uterine cancer staging is important
• When surgery may be the first treatment
• How radiation therapy can help reduce recurrence risk
• When chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy may be considered
• How a multidisciplinary cancer care team develops a treatment plan
• When clinical trials or a second opinion may be worth considering

Learn how doctors combine diagnostic results, cancer characteristics, and individual health needs to develop a personalized uterine cancer treatment plan.

Blog Link: How Doctors Determine the Right Treatment Plan for Uterine Cancer

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.

When uterine cancer returns after treatment, the next steps depend on where the cancer has come back, its type, and your overall health. This episode explains the main treatment options for recurrent uterine cancer and what patients can expect during care.

• What recurrent uterine cancer means
• The difference between local and distant recurrence
• How surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy may be used
• When hormone therapy or targeted therapy may be considered
• How cancer testing helps guide personalized treatment
• What factors can affect prognosis and treatment response
• How clinical trials may provide additional treatment options

Learn how specialists build personalized treatment plans for recurrent uterine cancer and how coordinated care can support both cancer control and quality of life.

Blog Link: Recurrent uterine cancer: treatment options 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.