Juniper
For a woman who discovers a breast lump, the days that follow can involve separate appointments across clinics, imaging centres, laboratories and hospitals, often while she is still trying to understand what the diagnosis could mean. As Malaysia works to shift more breast cancers towards earlier diagnosis, attention is also turning to what happens after a woman enters the healthcare system: how quickly information reaches her, how clearly her choices are explained, and how closely the specialists around her work together.
Almost one in two breast cancer cases in Malaysia was diagnosed at stage three or four between 2012 and 2016.1 The difference matters. National data place five-year survival at 88 per cent for stage one breast cancer, compared with 23 per cent for stage four.2 Earlier diagnosis remains critical, but women also need a clear, coordinated route from investigation to treatment and survivorship.
Picaso Breast Centre was established as one real-world response to this challenge. It brings breast clinics and imaging together on one floor, with pathology, surgery, oncology and supportive care connected through multidisciplinary review. Instead of receiving a sequence of separate opinions and carrying information from one appointment to the next, patients can receive a treatment recommendation shaped collectively by the team.
▍ A decision to build around the patient
The model grew from a shared concern among specialists who had seen how fragmented pathways could prolong uncertainty. Several left established practices to work together in a centre designed around the patient journey, rather than around individual departments.
“A woman who finds a lump can spend months being passed between a clinic, an imaging centre, a laboratory and a hospital. Every one of those handovers is a place where a frightened woman can fall out and never come back. This model removes those handovers.”
Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Yip Cheng Har
Consultant Breast Surgeon, Picaso Breast Centre
Opened in 2024, the Centre’s multidisciplinary team includes breast surgeons Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Yip Cheng Har, Dr Ng Char Hong, Dr Harjit Kaur and Dr Normayah Kitan; breast radiologists Dr Farhana Fadzli and Dr Maninderpal Kaur; anatomical pathologist Dr Lee Bang Rom; and clinical oncologists Dr Mastura Md Yusof, Dr Tan Chih Kiang and Dr Christina Lai Nye Bing.
▍ How coordinated expertise changes the patient journey
At regular multidisciplinary meetings, the team reviews each patient’s imaging, biopsy results and medical history before agreeing a clinical recommendation. This means questions about diagnosis, surgery, reconstruction and treatment can be considered together, rather than one after another.
“What reaches the patient is one clear plan and a team that already agrees on it. Working together as a team makes that possible every week rather than occasionally. Doing it every week is what actually changes how long a woman waits.”
Dr Ng Char Hong
Consultant Breast and Breast Reconstructive Surgeon
By reducing handovers and aligning decisions earlier, the model is designed to shorten waiting times and reduce the strain of navigating several appointments. It also allows oncology to remain involved from treatment planning through survivorship, supporting continuity beyond acute treatment.
▍ Personalised care beyond the diagnosis
Integrated care can also create room for decisions that reflect the biology of the cancer and what matters to the individual patient. Breast cancer is not a single disease, and treatment approaches differ according to subtype, stage and personal needs.
“Oncoplastic breast surgery combines cancer surgery with reconstructive surgical techniques to maintain both function and appearance of the breast. Apart from treating the cancer, we also consider how the treatment affects a woman’s confidence, identity and emotional wellbeing.”
Dr Harjit Kaur
Consultant Oncoplastic Breast and Endocrine Surgeon
▍ Inside Her Story brings the journey to life
These questions were brought to life at “Inside Her Story”, a recent immersive media event organised by Picaso Breast Centre. Specialist-led stations followed the emotional and clinical journey from first symptoms through diagnosis, multidisciplinary planning, treatment and survivorship. A film at the centre of the event featured Malaysian women speaking about their own experiences in their own words.
Several survivors whose portraits appeared at the event also joined the gathering, grounding the discussion in lived experience. Their stories reflected the central idea behind the Centre: healthcare teams should carry more of the burden of coordination so that patients do not have to.
▍ From one model to wider system change
In 2025, the Ministry of Health published its Roadmap Towards Downstaging of Breast Cancer in Malaysia 2025–2035, setting a ten-year direction to reduce late-stage diagnosis.3 The roadmap reflects a growing recognition that earlier detection must be supported by pathways that help women move through diagnosis, treatment and survivorship without becoming lost between services.
Picaso’s model is one example of how co-location and consistent multidisciplinary review can simplify parts of that journey. The wider challenge, however, requires collaboration across healthcare providers, policymakers, patient groups and industry.
Roche Malaysia’s participation in “Inside Her Story” centred on the value of healthcare innovation, focusing on how advanced treatments and streamlined pathways can save time and improve quality of life for patients.
“Breast cancer care has come a long way. Advanced science now allows us to focus on quality of life and giving back time, reducing treatment times that once took hours down to under eight minutes in many cases. By streamlining care pathways, we ensure innovation does more than treat the disease: it eases the strain on families and gives women back their time, peace of mind, and a sense of normalcy to live their lives.”
Ms Deepti Saraf
General Manager, Roche Malaysia, and Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA)
Note: The information in this release is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice from a registered medical practitioner. Readers who notice any change in their breast health are encouraged to consult a qualified healthcare professional.
