Prima Nexus at Liver Cancer Awareness Day 2026, HCTM UKM
Clinicians, the Ministry of Health and UKM met at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz to talk about finding liver cancer earlier, on the day the Minister of Health set out the roadmap for the National Liver Health Initiative 2026 to 2030.
· Events & workshops
KUALA LUMPUR, 11 October 2026: Prima Nexus Sdn Bhd supported on-site liver screening at Liver Cancer Awareness Day 2026 (Hari Kesedaran Kanser Hati 2026), held on 11 October 2026 at the Auditorium of Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The day was organised by the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit of the UKM Faculty of Medicine for Liver Cancer Awareness Month 2026, with the Ministry of Health, the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia and the College of Oncologists. Its theme was “Hati Sihat, Berat Badan Sihat, Kurangkan Risiko Kanser Hati”: a healthy liver and a healthy weight lower the risk of liver cancer.
Morning talks and forum: from prevention to early detection
The scientific programme for healthcare providers opened with talks on the link between metabolic health and liver cancer, by family medicine specialist Dr Mohamad A'riff Fahmi Ahmad Zawawi of the Ministry of Health, and on finding liver cancer earlier, by consultant hepatologist Dr Haniza Omar of Hospital Selayang. Speakers described liver cancer as a “silent killer”: it rarely causes symptoms early, so many people are diagnosed only when the disease is advanced and treatment choices are fewer. Long-term hepatitis B and C infection, fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes and alcohol were named as the main risk factors.
A forum moderated by the programme director, Prof. Dato' Dr Rosmawati Mohamed, brought together Dr Eliana Ahmad of the Ministry of Health, consultant hepatologist Dr Tan Soek Siam, Dr Haniza Omar and Dr A'riff Fahmi. The panel noted that liver damage can improve once its cause is treated, even in some people who already have cirrhosis, and discussed how primary care can find people with diabetes and obesity who may have liver scarring, using a simple blood-based score (FIB-4), so that they are referred on in good time.
A multidisciplinary panel on early detection and treatment
The multidisciplinary (MDT) panel, moderated by Prof. Dato' Dr Razman Jarmin and Prof. Dr Raja Affendi Raja Ali, took two questions in turn: early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer, and access to multidisciplinary care and evidence-based treatment. The panellists were Dr Lau Su Yin, Dr Wong Ping Foo, Assoc. Prof. Dr Nur Yazmin Yaacob, Mr Ian Chik and Dr CK Tan.
Dr Lau Su Yin gave an overview of the new Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (MSGH) consensus on the prevention and early detection of HCC, which sets out who should be followed up closely, how often, and where newer blood-based markers and scores may help alongside ultrasound. Dr Wong Ping Foo, a consultant family medicine specialist at Klinik Kesihatan Cheras, described primary care as the front line of the pathway. The panel came back often to the same needs: clear referral routes from primary care to specialists, shared case discussions between hospitals, and better local data on who is being checked.
UKM launches the 2026 awareness campaign
Speaking for UKM, Prof. Dr Bariah Mohd Ali, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnerships), thanked the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit for organising the programme and officiated the Liver Cancer Awareness Campaign 2026, “Cegah, Kesan Awal, Selamatkan Nyawa”. She thanked the specialists, government agencies, patient organisations and industry partners working on the campaign, and asked the public not to wait for symptoms, because prevention and early detection are the key to saving lives.
The Minister sets out the liver health roadmap
The Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, gave the officiating address for the launch of the roadmap for the National Liver Health Initiative 2026 to 2030 (Hala Tuju Inisiatif Kesihatan Hati Kebangsaan). He said liver cancer is now among the five most common cancers in Malaysia, that most cases are still found late, and that liver disease has too often been managed in separate, disconnected parts of the health system. Fatty liver disease, alongside hepatitis B and C, is a growing cause.
Targeted screening and care that joins up
He asked for screening that is targeted rather than blanket, built on the services that already exist, and aimed first at finding advanced liver scarring earlier in people at higher risk, such as those living with diabetes or obesity. He called for one care pathway that runs from primary care to hospitals and specialist centres, so that no one with hepatitis B or C is lost between diagnosis and treatment, and for a registry that draws on information from both Ministry of Health and university hospitals.
A staged start, and a wider stage
Drawing on the ministry's experience with its lung health initiative, the Minister outlined a staged way to begin: measure the starting point, standardise testing, referral and patient tracking, pilot joined-up services with primary care, hospitals and community partners, and evaluate the results before scaling up. He also looked further ahead, to building the base for precision hepatology, advanced diagnostics and clinical trials in Malaysian hospitals, and said he hopes to bring liver health to the World Health Assembly.
Prima Nexus's part
Alongside the programme, Prima Nexus supported on-site liver screening at HCTM, working with the clinical team in a room set up for the day. Prima Nexus's clinical research support team helps universities and hospitals run studies like this, from feasibility and site logistics to biomarker work, as described in twelve years of accessible clinical trial support. Studies can also draw on its ELISA and Luminex multiplex immunoassay services and its wider research platforms.
Working together on liver health
Prima Nexus Managing Partner Nura Samsuddin attended the day. The roadmap's call for targeted screening, shared data and more clinical research in Malaysian hospitals is close to the work Prima Nexus does with university and hospital research teams, and Prima Nexus looks forward to supporting the liver research that follows.
About Prima Nexus
Founded in 2014, Prima Nexus Sdn Bhd is a Malaysian research, scientific consulting and integrated research support company advancing scientific discovery and healthcare innovation. We provide end-to-end research solutions, from early-stage discovery and experimental design to cell-based studies, preclinical animal testing, clinical trials and commercialization. Our multidisciplinary expertise spans genomics, genetic applications, proteomics, molecular biology, stem cell research, bioinformatics and clinical research. Through strategic collaborations with universities, research institutions, industry and global technology partners, we connect scientific expertise and advanced technologies to accelerate research into real-world applications. Our collaborations have supported more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals and research teams at more than 40 institutions across Malaysia. More about Prima Nexus.
Media and partnership enquiries
Prima Nexus Sdn Bhd, Level 2, Mercu Aspire, 59200 KL Eco City, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Email info@primanexus.com.my or WhatsApp 017-305 1076.
