Specialists urge Malaysians to pay attention to recurring digestive discomfort, bowel changes, reflux and unexplained fatigue, especially when symptoms persist or worsen over time.
Persistent bloating, changes in bowel habits, abdominal discomfort, reflux, rectal bleeding and unexplained fatigue are symptoms many Malaysians may try to manage on their own, often attributing them to stress, ageing, food intolerance or “gastric” problems.
Main image: (From left to right) A moment captured with our distinguished panel of specialists Dr Ho Shiaw Hooi, Consultant Gastroenterologist & Physician, Dato’ Dr Luqman Mazlan, Consultant General & Colorectal Surgeon, Dr Yeap Chee Loong, Consultant General, Upper Gastrointestinal & Obesity Surgeon and Dr Chong Hoong Yin, Consultant General & Colorectal Surgeon upon an insightful evening with media.
Specialists at Hospital Picaso are urging the public to take recurring digestive symptoms more seriously, especially when symptoms persist, change over time or interfere with daily life. While many digestive symptoms may be linked to common and manageable conditions, doctors caution that some can also point to more serious underlying issues, including inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, polyps or colorectal cancer.
The message was shared during Hospital Picaso’s “On the Plate, In the Gut” event, an educational media dining experience designed to make conversations around digestive health, including screening, early detection and colorectal care, more accessible. Hosted at The Timber Space, the five-course dinner used food as a starting point to discuss daily habits, metabolism, warning signs, screening, diagnosis, treatment options and the future of gastrointestinal care.
The session was led by Dato’ Dr Luqman Mazlan, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon at Hospital Picaso, together with specialists from the hospital’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Centre, including Dr Chong Hoong Yin, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, Dr Ho Shiaw Hooi, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Physician, and Dr Yeap Chee Loong, Consultant General, Upper Gastrointestinal and Obesity Surgeon.
“Digestive symptoms are often ignored because they feel familiar,” said Dato’ Dr Luqman. “Many people will live with bloating, abdominal discomfort, reflux or changes in bowel habits for weeks or months because they assume it is stress, diet or gastric. The concern is when these symptoms keep coming back, worsen over time, or appear together with unexplained weight loss, fatigue or bleeding. They may not always point to something serious, but they are signs the body is asking to be assessed. Early investigation often gives patients more options and better outcomes.”
Digestive symptoms can be difficult to talk about, especially when they involve bowel habits, stool changes or rectal bleeding. As a result, some patients may delay seeking help or assume their symptoms are caused by haemorrhoids, indigestion, diet or temporary stress.
According to Hospital Picaso specialists, Malaysians should consider seeking medical advice if they experience:
- Persistent or recurring abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort
- A noticeable change in bowel habits, including prolonged constipation or diarrhoea
- Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding
- Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
- Unexplained fatigue, weakness or symptoms linked to anaemia
- Difficulty swallowing, persistent reflux or symptoms that do not improve
- Symptoms that keep returning, worsen over time or disrupt daily routines
People often think of digestive health only in relation to food, but recurring symptoms can also point to problems with digestion, absorption or bowel function. Persistent diarrhoea, unexplained weight loss, anaemia, blood in the stool or ongoing abdominal pain should not be normalised or managed through guesswork for too long, especially when symptoms keep returning or appear together.
The advice comes as digestive health remains an important public health conversation in Malaysia, particularly as some serious gastrointestinal conditions can begin with symptoms that are easily overlooked. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s Statistics on Causes of Death, Malaysia, 2025, malignant neoplasms of digestive organs recorded the highest number of cancer deaths in Malaysia in 2024, with 5,825 deaths reported.
Specialists also emphasised that screening and timely investigation play an important role in detecting digestive conditions earlier. Depending on a patient’s symptoms and risk factors, doctors may recommend blood tests, stool tests, imaging scans, colonoscopy or OGDS, also known as gastroscopy, to better understand the cause of symptoms.
For colorectal health, screening can be especially important because some cancers may develop from polyps over time. Detecting and removing polyps early can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer developing.
“By the time symptoms become obvious, some conditions may already be more advanced,” said Dr Chong Hoong Yin. “This is why screening is so important in colorectal care. A colonoscopy can help doctors detect abnormalities early, and in some cases, remove polyps before they progress. Early detection is not just about finding disease sooner. It is about giving patients more options before treatment becomes more complex.”
Hospital Picaso’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Centre adopts a multidisciplinary approach to gastrointestinal and colorectal care, bringing together colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists, upper gastrointestinal surgeons, bariatric surgeons, liver, pancreas and bile duct expertise, and oncological care to manage a wide range of complex digestive, liver and colorectal conditions.
The centre’s capabilities include advanced endoscopic and minimally invasive interventions, as well as robotic-assisted surgery for selected complex conditions, including Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction Surgery, also known as NOSES, and oesophageal robotic surgery. These techniques are designed to support greater surgical precision, reduce complications, accelerate recovery and improve patients’ quality of life where clinically appropriate.
The centre is also supported by AI-assisted endoscopy, which can help doctors detect abnormalities earlier, improve diagnostic accuracy and make more informed decisions in real time. These capabilities support Hospital Picaso’s broader focus on advanced surgery and integrated oncology, while reinforcing the importance of earlier conversations around symptoms, screening and timely medical care.
For more information about Hospital Picaso’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Centre or to book an appointment, visit www.hospitalpicaso.com.
