Immunotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer

SINGAPORE - A targeted method of administering chemotherapy drugs to patients with colon, gastric and ovarian cancers could potentially bring hope to those who are in the late stages of their ailment. The Pressurised Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (Pipac) method distributes drugs in aerosol form - through a device called a port - directly into the abdomen via a catheter. The technique, which has fewer side effects compared to conventional chemotherapy, has been successfully introduced at National University Hospital (NUH) and National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS). Professor Jimmy So, head and senior consultant with NUH's division of general surgery (upper gastrointestinal surgery), has been using the method with Dr Yong Wei Peng since December 2016. The latter is a senior consultant with the department of haematology-oncology at NCIS. A total of 49 Pipac procedures have been administered to 31 patients so far, with the majority afflicted with gastric or ... » Learn More about New chemotherapy option for patients with late-stage cancers

The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly increased our anxiety levels over the possibility of being infected with this new coronavirus. Current data shows that all cancer patients and older people, particularly men, are at higher risk of Covid-19-related mortality. Cancer treatment weakens the immune system, making patients more prone to acquiring infections. In fact, for those who are currently seeking treatment, walking into a hospital may itself be a risk. Flying for treatment This is one of the concerns metastatic breast cancer patient, Sew Boon Lui, who was diagnosed in 2006, has. "After all the necessary treatments - surgery, i.e. left breast mastectomy, 20 sessions of radiotherapy, eight cycles of chemotherapy, plus five years of hormonal oral medication, my cancer went into remission. "I continued with regular/annual check-ups and all went well, " shares the 53-year-old, who lives in Kuching, Sarawak. However, in 2017, she experienced unexplained chest pain and an ... » Learn More about Covid-19: Cancer patients need to be extra careful while seeking treatment

She felt that one of her breasts was unusually engorged while breastfeeding her newborn baby boy. This was in April 2020. Due to the circuit breaker and Covid-19 pandemic, it wasn’t till months later, in August, did Snehal Ponde, 39, schedule an appointment with a doctor to get a screening done. But by then, the homemaker and former humans resources personnel who had recently moved to Singapore from Mumbai, India, was told that she had Metastatic Breast Cancer (Stage IV). Going through treatment Snehal had to stop breastfeeding and is now receiving treatment. “It’s been a roller-coaster journey with the treatment. I was on chemotherapy, after which I moved to hormonal therapy but will have to restart chemotherapy soon.” “In terms of side effects during chemotherapy, I was dealing with fatigue, mouth ulcers, and hair loss. I tried the ‘cooling cap’ and was able to retain more than 50 per cent of my hair. Hormonal therapy offers a better quality of life but is slower to act ... » Learn More about ‘Covid-19 postponed my breast screening, and I discovered I had stage 4 breast cancer months later’

Most of us associate any pain in the abdominal area as stomach ache. But is it really a stomach ache? "Stomach ache is a common complaint by patients, so much so that it is quite dangerous for us clinicians when we hear this, as it can mean 101 possible things. "For most laymen, the stomach is anywhere below the ribs and above the pelvis - it's a huge area. "But when you talk about stomach ache, then the pain should be just below the ribcage on the left side, which is where the stomach is located. "We have to differentiate whether the pain is really coming from the stomach or another site so that we can treat accordingly," says consultant general surgeon Dr G.C. George. You could experience gastritis symptoms such as bloating, cramping and temporary loss of appetite, due to the pain. However, when there is progressive weight loss, then you need to get checked because it could be something more sinister like stomach cancer. Dr George says, "With stomach cancer, the site of ... » Learn More about Stomach pain is one of the symptoms of stomach cancer

If you haven’t been giving yourself a breast examination on the regular, it’s time to put it high on your priority list. While breast cancer is a serious health condition that has affected many women, the onslaught of Covid-19 has only exacerbated the situation, what with delayed diagnosis, treatments, and complications. According to the Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF), invasive breast cancer was consistently ranked as the leading cancer among females in the past fifty years in Singapore (Singapore Cancer Registry’s 50th Anniversary Monograph published in 2019). Between 2013-2017, there were 10,824 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed (nearly six cases per day) and 2,180 deaths (slightly more than one death per day). And most recently, the World Health Organisation announced that for the first time, that breast cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the most common cancer globally. Sandra Leong, General Manager of Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF), shares with us the impact ... » Learn More about How does Covid-19 affect breast cancer and is the vaccine safe for patients?

CBD Cannabidiol has been creating a lot of buzzes lately. The use of CBD is legal in many states, and people are getting much aware about the use of CBD Cannabidiol. People are using it for its medicinal benefits to lead a healthy lifestyle. So, let’s first understand about CBD and how it benefits our health. CBD Cannabidiol – Uses & Benefits Cannabidiol (CBD) comes from hemp and marijuana plants. The most preferred source of CBD is the hemp plant due to its high levels of CBD and low levels of THC, whereas marijuana plants consist of higher THC levels than CBD. This compound is mostly applicable in the form of CBD oil. Research on CBD has proved to show health benefits for many physical and mental problems. One such health benefit is its contribution to cancer. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but women highly report them. CBD Cannabidiol for breast cancer: Breast cancer is a tumor tissue in the breast known as a lump. Most women don’t know the benefits of ... » Learn More about Ways CBD Cannabidiol Helps In Fighting With Breast Cancer

SINGAPORE - National University of Singapore (NUS) researchers can now identify cancer cells by studying their acidity or pH levels using artificial intelligence technology. This technique could be potentially useful in detecting cancer cells in tissue samples, either obtained from tumour biopsies or liquid biopsies, which are blood tests. "As the number of cells in these samples can be in millions or even billions, the ability to detect the very few cancer cells among the others will be useful for clinicians," said Professor Lim Chwee Teck, director of the the Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech) at NUS. The living cells are first coated with a layer of bromothymol blue, a pH-sensitive dye that changes colour according to acidity levels. Due to its intracellular activity, each type of cell displays its own "fingerprint", which consists of a unique combination of red, green and blue (RGB) components when it is illuminated. Cancer cells have an altered ... » Learn More about Researchers use AI to identify the pH of cancer cells

These days, many of my cancer patients are engaged in a soliloquy much like Shakespeare's Hamlet: To be, or not to be. In their case, they ask: to jab, or not to jab? Cancer patients are agonising over whether or not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. These patients are especially vulnerable to the deadly virus. Multiple reports in medical literature have documented a higher infection risk as well as probability of developing complications and of mortality in such patients. Depending on which specific report one is looking at, the mortality rate in cancer patients who came down with Covid-19 ranges from 5 per cent to 60 per cent, with the median hovering at about 25 per cent. In comparison, the mortality rate of those in the general population who contract Covid-19 is 2 per cent to 3 per cent. Not only are cancer patients especially vulnerable to the virus, but coming down with it would likely lead to them pausing, permanently stopping or never starting anti-cancer ... » Learn More about Cancer patients’ Covid-19 dilemma – to jab or not to jab

These days, many of my cancer patients are engaged in a soliloquy much like Shakespeare's Hamlet: To be, or not to be. In their case, they ask: To jab, or not to jab? Cancer patients are agonising over whether or not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Cancer patients are especially vulnerable to the deadly virus. Multiple reports in medical literature have documented a higher infection risk as well as probability of developing complications and of mortality in such patients. Depending on which specific report one is looking at, the mortality rate of cancer patients down with Covid-19 ranges from 5 per cent to 60 per cent, with the median hovering at about 25 per cent. In comparison, the mortality rate of the general population who contract Covid-19 is 2 - 3 per cent. Not only are they especially vulnerable to the virus, but coming down with Covid-19 would likely lead to cancer patients pausing, permanently stopping or never starting anti-cancer treatment, ... » Learn More about Cancer patients’ Covid-19 dilemma: To jab or not to jab

A drug that has been used to treat ovarian cancer since 2014 was approved last month by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for treating late-stage breast cancer in patients with a rare genetic mutation. Called Olaparib, the drug is more effective and less toxic than chemotherapy drugs. It kills cancer cells containing mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes - which normally function as tumour suppressors - by inhibiting their ability to repair their DNA. However, Olaparib does not come cheap. A month's supply can cost up to $8,000 before subsidies. [[nid:446939]] Associate Professor Lee Soo Chin, head of the department of haematology-oncology at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS), said a genetic test is required to determine if the drug is suitable for a patient as it specifically targets mutant BRCA genes, which greatly increase the risk of breast cancer. About one in 10 cases of breast cancer is due to mutant BRCA genes and other major genetic risk factors ... » Learn More about New drug approved for late-stage breast cancer