NUH collaborates with Thermo Fisher Scientific and MiRXES to increase patient access to affordable,
advanced genomic testing for cancer in Singapore.
Issue 6 | September 2024
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No two cancers are the same. Even in those of the same type, each possesses a unique array of genetic nuances that influences how tumours grow, spread and respond to treatment.
Traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, fight cancer by eliminating cancer cells with drugs and high-energy beams, respectively. However, the indiscriminate nature of these treatments means they also inadvertently play havoc with healthy cells, causing patients to experience a range of unpleasant side effects.
Eschewing the one-size-fits-all approach, genomic testing offers a more personalised solution: it zooms in on specific genes within tumours to help doctors identify targeted treatments that will work best against the cancer-causing culprits.
The National University Hospital (NUH), together with Singapore-based biotech innovator MiRXES and world-leading life science and clinical research company Thermo Fischer Scientific, signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreement on 14 June 2024 to formalise their commitment to jointly develop and clinically validate advanced, next-generation sequencing (NGS) genomic testing solutions and further cancer research.
Access to affordable genomic testing for cancer remains limited in many Southeast Asian countries. Enhancing the local availability of rapid NGS genomic testing, which can profile multiple genes concurrently, enables healthcare providers to match patients with the most suitable therapies quickly.
NGS testing pinpoints genetic alterations in tumours that may respond well to targeted therapies. By focusing on specific molecular targets, these therapies block cancer growth while minimising damage to healthy cells.
“With NGS, we can detect a wider range of mutations that can be targeted by drugs, including rarer ones that would have been missed by traditional single-gene testing," says Dr Kenneth Sooi Wei Xiong, Associate Consultant, Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore. “This broadens treatment options, which improves the patient’s prognosis, while drastically reducing side effects.”
A key institution of the National University Health System in Singapore, we deliver world-class clinical outcomes and patient experience, while transforming patient care through innovation and research. We are honoured to be ranked among the world’s best hospitals consecutively since 2021. Help us do better, share your insights by participating in this online survey: https://for.sg/wbh2025-survey |
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