MEDICAL

PARKWAY CANCER CENTRE

Understanding Cancer : The Evolution of Cancer Care “ When I first started practicing oncology in 1986 , chemotherapy was the only option for patients in advanced stages of cancer ,” shares Dr Ang Peng Tiam .

The veteran cancer specialist founded Parkway Cancer Centre ( PCC ) 17 years ago . He has since witnessed how the understanding and treatment of cancer as a disease has evolved to become more personalised and precise .

“ We have seen a growing armamentarium of new therapies , which are increasingly more efficacious in treating cancer and also have lesser side effects , over the past three decades .”

Novel treatments in cancer care Some of the novel therapies for cancer treatment include :

• Monoclonal antibodies – antibodies that disrupt the signalling pathways of cancer cell growth .

• Targeted therapy – drugs that target specific genes and proteins to destroy cancer cells , without affecting healthy cells .

• Immunotherapy – medicine that raises the immune system of the patient , allowing the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells .

Novel treatments for better quality of life Treatment options , in the past , were very limited for many cancer types such as melanoma , lymphoma and leukaemia . Some of these cancer treatment modalities could sometimes even be toxic .

With greater understanding of cancer , novel therapies such as immunotherapy have more tolerable

The team of doctors at Parkway Cancer Centre

side effects , allowing patients to receive treatment for longer periods of time with better prognosis . Some patients can even stop treatment indefinitely , without the risk of the cancer getting worse .

Like immunotherapy , treatments using monoclonal antibodies and targeted therapy drugs can also be administered over longer treatment periods . This translates to an improved quality of life for patients , with minor or lesser side effects .

The targeted nature of these novel treatments means that treatment is more personalised to each patient in their treatment journey .

“ We study each patient and their cancer closely , and then advise the most suitable treatment route based on many factors like body constitution , lifestyle and available support ,” Dr Ang explains . “ At PCC , we strongly believe in achieving quality of care and quality of life for our patients . Cancer care has evolved , and cancer no longer has to be a debilitating life sentence .”

A multidisciplinary approach to cancer care Cancer care is a fast-changing field with many new developments . Treating cancer today requires a multidisciplinary team of professionals to achieve optimal outcome .

At PCC , members of the team include a pathologist and radiologist to diagnose and locate the cancer ; a medical oncologist , surgeon and radiation oncologist to plan , administer and monitor treatment ; as well as nurses and allied health professionals to support patients on their cancer journey .

“ We have put together a team of subspecialists who possess expertise in the different cancer types ,” says Dr Ang . “ We have scrupulous understanding of each other ’ s roles and capabilities . This allows us to accomplish what we believe is the best outcome for each of our patients .”

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