In Singapore, according to the statistics, during the four years 2014-2018, 74,536 cancer cases were reported, with males accounting for 48.5% and females accounting for 51.5% of all cancer cases reported during that period.
Moreover, it is said that reported cancer patients increase each year. Middle age, kids, teens, and old age patients struggle to fight off cancer.
To combat this illness, there is a cancer specialist such as a radiation doctor in Singapore that specialises in treating cancer patients using radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy.
Here is everything you need to know about radiation therapy in Singapore.
Facts About Radiotherapy
What is radiotherapy?
Radiation therapy, often known as radiotherapy, applies various kinds of radiation to treat cancer and other disorders safely and efficiently. It destroys the tumours in your body to prevent them from spreading to your body.
It also decreases the chances of your cancer by killing other remaining cancer cells after returning to surgery or chemotherapy. It also helps in removing tumours or already growing tumours to help you go back on track with your life.
Radiation therapy in Singapore operates by inflicting cell damage on the body. Tumour cells cannot regenerate themselves, but normal cells are capable of doing so. The radiation by radiation oncologists can be used to treat cancer, inhibit the progression of cancer, or alleviate symptoms such as pain.
New approaches also allow doctors to aim radiation better to protect healthy cells, which is a significant improvement over previous methods.
What is a radiation oncologist?
A radiation oncologist in Singapore works effectively with medical professionals to decide the best practical course of therapy for cancer patients who have been diagnosed. They have the skills, knowledge and training to handle cancer patients.
A radiation oncologist can employ radiation treatment in various methods, depending on the type of cancer being treated.
A radiation doctor in Singapore is in charge of ensuring you are being monitored while undergoing your treatments. These physicians collaborate with the other specialists of the radiation therapy unit in Singapore to establish and administer your treatment plan and ensure that each treatment is administered as correctly and efficiently as possible.
There are also different types of the oncologist that specialises in other areas. Medical oncologists are responsible for non-surgical methods. They act as cancer patient’s primary healthcare doctors as they coordinate cancer treatment programs and keep a watchful eye out for adverse effects on their patients.
Medical oncologists also keep in touch with patients once they have accomplished their cancer treatment.
While, surgical oncologists specialise in the treatment, diagnosis, and management of cancer patients and survivors. In the event that a primary care physician suspects the presence of cancer, they will send the patient to an oncologist for further examination.
They perform biopsies, imaging tests and other examinations to determine in cancer stage a patient falls.
What procedures do radiation oncologists do?
There are two known radiation therapies administered by a radiation doctor in Singapore. Your oncologist will determine which one is the proper treatment for you based on your diagnosis.
External Beam Radiation Therapy
This treatment is delivered from a source outside the body and is targeted directly at the cancer location. It is where a beam of radiation is transmitted through the skin to cancer and the immediate outlying areas to eliminate the primary tumour and any associated cancer cells.
An accelerator, often known as a linear accelerator, is used to produce the radiation beam. It is possible to cure cancer with high-energy X-rays and electrons generated by the linear accelerator, also known as the linac.
Radiation therapy in Singapore treatments is typically administered five days a week, Monday through Friday, for a period of several weeks in order to avoid side effects. It permits doctors to deliver enough radiation into the body to destroy cancer while still providing healthy cells with adequate time each day to heal from their radiation exposure.
It can only be administered by your radiation oncologist in Singapore and proposes you undergo one based on what type of cancer you have.
Other therapy includes:
- Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT)
- Neutron Beam Therapy
- Stereotactic Radiotherapy
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
- Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
- Proton Beam Therapy
Internal Radiation Therapy
This radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment in which a radiation oncologist places a solid or liquid dose of radiation into your body. This therapy is also known as brachytherapy, where they put a radioactive material near your malignant tumour to treat it.
These radioactive sources include thin wires, ribbons, capsules, and seeds. They are often temporarily implanted within the body and removed once the appropriate amount of radiation has been supplied.
However, once the temporary treatments are no longer present, there will be permanent radioactive source implant remains.
Other treatments include:
- Chemotherapy
- Systemic Radiation Therapy
- Novel Targeted Therapies
- Immunotherapy
- Radiosensitizers
- Radioprotectors
- Intraoperative Radiation Therapy
What to expect on your first visit
On your initial visit, a radiation oncologist in Singapore will assess your situation and what exact radiotherapy you need for treatment. You have to make sure that you are knowledgeable enough about your past and present medical history. It will be considered to complete the assessment.
It is advisable to bring all the necessary papers and records that you have. In addition, the doctor will do a physical examination to identify the level of your ailment and examine your overall physical health. The doctor will discuss their findings with you and then decide on the best course of action for you based on those findings.
Once a week, the radiation oncologist will come in to monitor you and assess how your body is responding to the treatment. You will be receiving the right care and will be carefully managed by other professionals under the oncologist team.
The radiotherapy cost in Singapore will depend on which therapy your radiation doctor recommends to fit your treatment.There are trusted and well-known clinics in Mount Elizabethwhere you can consult a radiation doctor. Try visiting Dr Johann Tang and receive proper treatment.
