Advancements in the realm of medical oncology are tipping the scales in the patient ’ s favour . Equipped with an arsenal of medicines growing in range and effectiveness , the oncologists practising at the Mount Elizabeth Hospitals & Parkway Cancer Centre ( PCC ) are more proficient than ever in achieving optimal outcomes for cancer patients .

Cytotoxic chemotherapy , targeted therapy , immunotherapy , and personalised medicine are just some of the promising anti-cancer treatments that offer improved overall results with reduced or no side effects .

Cytotoxic chemotherapy are medicines that are either taken orally or injected into the body to treat cancers . They work by interfering with the ability of cancer cells to grow and divide .

Targeted therapy involves the use of specific drugs to block key genetic pathways in cancerous tumours . As these drugs are specific to the cancer signalling pathways , they will cause less damage to normal healthy tissue .

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer medication that harnesses the body ’ s own immune system to fight cancer . As it does not directly destroy cells , there will be fewer side effects from immunotherapy than cytotoxic chemotherapy .

The same type of tumour may harbour different genetic mutations in different individuals . This is why response and resistance to the same treatment differ between patients . In personalised medicine , blood or tumour tissues from the patient are

Varun Panjwani & Mr Yong Yih Ming

collected and sequenced to look for specific cancer-causing genes . This enables our doctors to understand the cancer and make treatment decisions customised for each patient .

For patients who require advanced care , bone marrow or stem cell transplantation is also available . The Mount Elizabeth Hospitals & Parkway Cancer Centre houses Singapore ’ s highest concentration of haematologists in private practice , many of whom have extensive experience in autologous and allogenic transplants for both adult and paediatric patients . Together , they cover a wide range of niche subspecialities — from stem cell transplants to malignant haematology , benign haematology as well as lab-based haematology .

Multi-Disciplinary Approach In cancer care , medical oncologists often work with surgical and radia-

tion oncologists , from the diagnosis and staging of tumours to planning out appropriate treatment modalities individualised for patients .

Surgery is a vital treatment modality for many patients with cancer , especially during the early stages for solid tumours . This is usually considered an effective way to remove the tumour and affected tissue surrounding it .

The team at the Mount Elizabeth Hospitals have a wide repertoire of surgical treatments for cancer . Procedures can range from radical surgery for advanced cancers to conservative techniques using minimal access surgery , such as laparoscopy and robotic surgery . In addition , the hospitals also offer oncoplastic and reconstructive surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy ( HIPEC ).

Radiation therapy is another treatment modality that uses ionising radiation to treat suitable cancers with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue . The most common form is external beam radiation therapy . A machine known as the linear accelerator generates and delivers sharp-edged beams of ionising radiation to the cancer . In early 2023 , the Mount Elizabeth Hospitals will become one of the first private hospitals to provide Proton Therapy for patients in Southeast Asia . This presents another cutting-edge treatment option to deliver the best possible treatment outcomes for patients .

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