Giving Cancer Patients Better Options and New Hope

Left: Dato’ Dr Loh Chit Sin, Consultant Urologist, Hospital Picaso & Right: Dr Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah, Consultant Radiologist & Interventional Radiologist, Hospital Picaso

Cancer remains one of Malaysia’s biggest health challenges, especially prostate, liver, and pancreatic cancers – all of which are often detected at a late stage.

In response to this, Hospital Picaso has introduced two groundbreaking treatments: Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) and Electrochemotherapy (ECT), offering new hope for patients facing limited options.

Located in Petaling Jaya, Hospital Picaso is a centre of excellence for advanced surgery and integrated oncology.

It is the first in the country to offer IRE – a non-thermal, minimally invasive procedure that uses electrical pulses to destroy cancer cells while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.

“IRE allows us to treat prostate cancer with precision, while reducing side effects such as incontinence or erectile dysfunction, 2 of the biggest concerns for men,” said Dato’ Dr Loh Chit Sin, Consultant Urologist at Hospital Picaso. “This approach helps patients maintain quality of life, even while undergoing cancer treatment.”

Unlike traditional methods that may damage nearby nerves or organs, IRE is especially suited for treating tumours located near sensitive areas such as blood vessels, bile ducts or the pancreas.

The hospital is also introducing Electrochemotherapy (ECT), a unique method that combines low-dose chemotherapy with short electrical pulses to increase the drug’s penetration directly into tumour cells.

This technique is ideal for difficult-to-reach or previously unresponsive tumours, especially in the liver and pancreas.

ECT delivers cancer-fighting agents exactly where they are needed most, while reducing the usual side effects associated with chemotherapy.

“These new technologies are giving patients options that weren’t available before,” added Dr Loh. “But we still encourage early screening – early detection opens the door to better outcomes.”

With these advancements, Hospital Picaso continues its mission to provide personalised, patient-first cancer care.

The focus isn’t just on survival, but also on improving the treatment experience and life after recovery.

For more information, visit their website.