Novartis Malaysia Reimagines Prostate Health Awareness by Using Humor to Break the Silence
• Comedy helps boost prostate cancer awareness, screening, and innovations in advanced care
• Partnerships with lifestyle communities foster open dialogue around men’s health
• Malaysian men are urged to prioritize prostate health as part of their wellbeing commitments
Petaling Jaya, March 3, 2026 – In line with its mission to advocate for men’s health, Novartis Malaysia brought prostate cancer awareness into the heart of lifestyle communities, moving beyond traditional healthcare settings through collaborations with the Harley Owners Group (HOG) Malaysia and the Ferrari Owners Club Malaysia (FOCM).
Across both engagements, Novartis hosted an interactive talk show titled “Does Size Matter?”, featuring local comedian Douglas Lim, whose trademark humor helped break down taboos and empowers honest conversations about prostate health. Clinical oncologists Dr Ahmad Radzi of Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Dr John Low from OncoCare Malaysia complemented the sessions respectively with evidence-based insights, sharing critical facts about prostate cancer risks, symptoms, and the importance of early detection.
“Engaging men through communities they trust helps create a more open, supportive environment for health conversations,” said Sanjeev Balachandran, Country President, Novartis Malaysia, Brunei and Asia Emerging Markets (AEM). “Since men are statistically more likely to delay or avoid seeking care [1], innovative initiatives like these encourage timely screening and intervention. That is why Novartis is championing men’s health with empathy, science, and a touch of humor, staying true to our mission of improving and extending the lives of over 35 million Malaysians.”
Why Size Matters
Prostate enlargement is relatively common as men age and often does not affect their day-to-day lives. However, this makes it harder to detect cancerous cells until their condition unknowingly reaches later stages. Through comedy and relatable storytelling, participants discovered key facts: prostate cancer risk increases with age, and about six in 10 Malaysian men are only diagnosed at advanced stages. Late diagnosis significantly limits treatment options and affects both survival and quality of life.[2]
However, experts highlighted that the diagnostic and treatment landscape is rapidly evolving. Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) is a protein found in high levels on prostate cancer cells, including the same cells that have spread to other parts of the body. This makes PSMA a valuable target for advanced screening technologies such as the PSMA-Positron Emission Tomography (PSMA PET) imaging, which enables faster and more accurate detection of prostate cancer. Alongside this, precision medicine approaches like radioligand therapy (RLT) are proving effective in advanced stages of the disease.[3], [4]
As the experts explained, “PSMA PET imaging pinpoints cancer cells and guides the delivery of RLT precisely to where it’s needed, minimizing harm to surrounding healthy cells.”
Advancing Innovation, Improving Lives
Novartis is committed to reimagining medicine by advancing cancer care pathways, including closing treatment gaps in advanced prostate cancer. Collaborations with lifestyle communities like HOG and FOCM help spark meaningful conversations, empower men to act, and reinforce that prostate health is a journey worth starting early.
Early action can be lifesaving – whether it’s scheduling a check-up or supporting a loved one to get screened. Access verified information and find specialist centers in the area with the ICanCare app.
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About Novartis Malaysia
Novartis has a long heritage and legacy in Malaysia. Established in 1971, we are a leading multinational company employing close to 700 associates who work in the Novartis International division and Novartis Corporate Center, Kuala Lumpur. Through our over 50-year presence in Malaysia, Novartis Malaysia continues to deliver on its corporate purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend the lives of over 35 million Malaysians.
In 2022, Novartis Malaysia was recognized as Sponsor of the Year by Clinical Research Malaysia for initiating 24 new clinical trials. We also have a proven track record of expanding access to our innovative medicines in private or public via collaborations with the Ministry of Health. Through these collaborations, Novartis has succeeded in touching the lives of more than 1.7 million Malaysian patients.
Starting March 7, 2022, Novartis Malaysia’s office is located in the new cutting-edge building called Plaza Imazium in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya. Novartis Malaysia occupies 2 floors and was one of 20 offices in Malaysia to be LEED Gold certified and the first office to be WELL Silver certified.
References:
- Rata Mohan, D.S., Jawahir, S., Manual, A. et al. Gender differences in health-seeking behaviour: insights from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019. BMC Health Serv Res 25, 900 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13020-0
- Summary of The Malaysia National Cancer Registry Report 2017-2021. https://nci.moh.gov.my/images/pdf_folder/SUMMARY-OF-MALAYSIA-NATIONAL-CANCER-REGISTRY-REPORT-2017-2021.pdf
- Lim J, Malek R, Jr S, et al. Prostate cancer in multi-ethnic Asian men: Real-world experience in the Malaysia Prostate Cancer (M-CaP) Study. Cancer Med. 2021;10(22):8020-8028. doi:10.1002/cam4.4319
- Combes AD, Palma CA, Calopedos R, Wen L, Woo H, Fulham M, Leslie S. PSMA PET-CT in the Diagnosis and Staging of Prostate Cancer. Diagnostics. 2022; 12(11):2594. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12112594
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