TCI@NUH provides multidisciplinary care for all types of cancers. We make comprehensive cancer care possible for our patients by engaging the experts of different specialties. Here is our range of services offered by :

• Department of Haematology-Ocology
• Department of Radiation Oncology
• Division of Gynaecologic Oncology
• Division of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology/ Blood and Marrow Transplantation
  

Haematology-Oncology

• Specialised medical care for all types of cancers, including solid tumours
• Specialised medical care for malignant and non-malignant haematological conditions
• Chemotherapy
• Bone Marrow Transplant
• Cancer Risk Assessment Clinic
• Multidisciplinary Tumour Boards and Clinics
• Experimental Therapeutics and Clinical Trials
• Cancer screening
• Patient Education and Counselling
• CancerLine telephone help-line

The Department of Haematology-Oncology includes the divisions of Medical Oncology and Haematology/Bone Marrow Transplant. As part of The Cancer Institute@NUH, we are dedicated to bring about the best possible care to our patients. We practice evidence-based & comprehensive oncology in a collegial atmosphere involving highly qualified specialists and oncology-trained nurses.

We offer a Cancer Risk Assessment Clinic that helps you to understand your risk of developing certain cancers based on your personal and family history. The Clinic also provides counseling on the steps to take to prevent cancer from developing. The clinic's services include:

• Cancer risk assessment based on your personal and family history;
• Screening for cancer and information on cancer prevention;
• A review of your personal and family history for known hereditary forms of cancer;
• Genetic testing for selected individuals suspected to have hereditary cancer syndrome

Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant
Chemotherapy is offered when the diagnosis has been rigorously established. Our Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit provides stem cell transplants to treat patients with haematologic malignancies such as leukaemias, lymphomas or multiple myelomas; and non-malignant conditions such as thalassaemia. Patients with selected autoimmune disorders and advanced stage solid tumours may also be considered. The unit also provides dedicated post-transplant care.

A new approach known as non-myeloablative stem cell transplant (NMT) is also offered at NUH. NMT uses lower doses of chemotherapy and radiation prior to stem cell transplant, thereby reducing the acute insult to patients. NMT is offered to treat conditions such as acute and chronic leukaemia, secondary leukaemia, resistant non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin’s disease, myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma, selected solid tumours and non-malignant diseases.

Radiation Oncology Services

• 3D Conformal Planning with Virtual CT Simulation
• MRI and PET-CT Fusion Planning
• External Beam Linac Based Radiotherapy
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
• Brachytherapy
• Prostate Cancer Brachytherapy
• Sterotactic Radiosurgery
• Stereotactic Radiotherapy
• Paediatric Radiation Oncology Team
• Total Body Irradiation
• Patient Education and Counselling
• Multidisciplinary Tumour Clinics & Boards

(A) Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Programme
We offer an established Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Programme, which is a major advance in the treatment of cancer. It uses the combined processing power of modern computers and the exceptional advances in organ imaging to allow the accurate delivery of a new type of radiotherapy beam. Multiple different shaped beams of X-rays from varying angles accurately target the cancer, so that a very high dose of radiation is given to the tumour but the surrounding normal tissue is spared. In military terms, this is the equivalent of using smart weapons, aimed with lasers to destroy a target without causing collateral damage.

IMRT is extremely beneficial to patients where the ability to deliver radiation is limited by side effects on good organs, such as in cancers of the head and neck region, brain and pelvis. An example in Asia is with cancer of the nasopharynx, in which although radiotherapy is usually successful in controlling cancer growth, this cure comes with the price of considerable long term disabling side effects. IMRT will allow a higher dose to be given to the tumour, increasing cure rates and will reduce the long term side effects because of the sparing of the surrounding good tissues. Our results have been favourable, especialy in the Head and Neck region where good cancer control has been achieved with sparing of sensitive structures such as the salivary glands.

(B) Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT) / Radiosurgery Programme
Stereotactic radiation treatment is the accurate delivery of very precise focused radiation beams to targets within the brain. Similar in concept to Gamma Knife or Cyberknife, our X-Knife system delivers x-rays in a similar manner to brain tumours and other lesions within the skull. The benefit of the X-Knife system is that it allows radiation to be delivered over many days or “fractions” if needed, thus permitting the treatment of many lesions not suitable for Gamma Knife. When used in this manner, it is a very safe method to deliver high doses of radiation to the brain.

Our SRT Programme has been managing patients successfully since 2003, including children less than 5 years of age. The quality assurance of the Programme is essential and is guided by experienced radiation oncologists and medical physicists.

Gynaecologic Oncology Services
The division of Gynaecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, provides a one-stop, comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for women with gynaecological cancers. The gynaecological cancer service is supported by the multidisciplinary services available at NUH and TCI for women of all age groups.

Our key services include:

(A) Gynaecological cancer care

• risk evaluation, screening and prevention
• cancer staging
• radical cancer surgery
• exenterative procedures
• endoscopic cancer surgery
• trophoblastic disease management
• childhood gynaecologic malignancies
• multidisciplinary clinic
• radiation and medical oncology
• lymphoedema management
• palliative care

(B) Pre-invasive disease management

• evaluation of abnormal smears
• digital colposcopy
• laser, LLETZ/LEEP
• cold coagulation treatments
• vulva disease management

(C) Complex pelvic surgery and vulvovaginal reconstruction

Paediatric Haematology/Oncology/ Blood and Marrow Transplantation
The Cancer Institute @ NUH works with the Department of Paediatrics’ Division of Haematology/Oncology to offer a comprehensive range of care for children with cancer and blood diseases. Modern management of these diseases require state-of-the art laboratory support, which is available both in National University Hospital’s labs and our own childhood leukaemia research lab. To find out more more, click here.

Four dedicated social workers from the Children’s Cancer Foundation help to provide holistic care of our patients and families with psychosocial support.

Click here to visit NUHKIDS website.