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Proton Therapy Clinic
Proton Therapy Clinic is where patients can receive state-of-the-art cancer treatment, particularly for cancer that has yet to spread to other parts of the body.
Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy where charged protons are fired at cancer sites, releasing the bulk of their energy only when it reaches the tumor, with a depth that matches the precise size of the tumor. This process minimizes the spill over effects that occur with conventional radiation where unlike proton therapy, energy is released throughout the path of the proton beam, which may harm surrounding healthy cells.
AARO is in the midst of finalizing an agreement with Aizawa Hospital in Nagano which, when completed, will see the first Proton therapy clinic be set up in Singapore. Patients will go through a diagnosis before commencing treatment with inputs from both AARO and Aizawa, ensuring the best possible expertise and care.
Screening Programs
AARO has a multitude of screening options to address hereditary and non-hereditary cancers. Many cancers are curable when accurate treatment is delivered in their early stages. They include breast. cervical, rectal, and prostate cancers. Click here to find out more.
RT@Home Program
In the last decade, technology has allowed for numerous advances in modern radiotherapy as such the need to develop web-based dashboards for remote collaboration among technologists and physicians has been on the rise. Telemedicine aids decentralized radiotherapy services, it allows remote treatment planning and quality assurance of treatment; but digital storage of the relevant data is a prerequisite as well as a reliable telecommunication system between satellites and the clinic.
At the Asian American Medical Group we have already recorded our first successful remote Telemedicine treatment of a Myanmar cancer patient out of Singapore – this was the first time such advanced telemedicine technology has been used between the two countries. It also marks a major breakthrough as it will mean that oncology patients from countries such as Myanmar do not need to travel to Singapore for radiation oncology treatment, saving time and cost.
The successful treatment of the patient was headed by Dr Daniel Tan, the Medical Director and Radiation Oncologist of Asian American Radiation Oncology (“AARO”).
Patient Resource Library
We have tied up with various agencies to make a host of patient education resources readily available to our patients. These can be downloaded through the links provided on our website here, or patients can instead, come to our centre to utilize this carefully selected collection of material at our resource corner.
At the resource corner:
- Patients will have access to subscription based material through a desktop for them to carry out their own research.
- Patients will also be equipped with checklists of what to ask their doctors as well as a timeline leading to their cancer treatment in order for them to make an informed decision together with their doctors in their treatment strategies and choices.
Cancer Assist Program
AARO’s cancer concierge service where we offer personalised consultations to guide our patient’s journey ahead. As part of this service, we provide:
1) A complete diagnosis for the condition, including medical history, physical examination and genetic testing
2) Education to teach and help patients appreciate and cope with the condition
3) Specialist opinions from the International Tumor Board, specimen testing agents and multi-disciplinary clinical partners
Offering a wide range of support on top of the actual treatment, has led to significant results: our patients are surviving longer with less side effects and better critical organ function. Ultimately, we hope that with our care, patients are able to experience an improved quality of life.
Brain Metastases Service
If left untreated, brain metastases is commonly associated with fatal results. It is a form of cancer which spreads to the brain from another location in the body. Symptoms are not usually obvious and can take the form of various common neurological conditions. In most cases, patients will not be aware of the cancer until it has already spread to the brain. While the diagnosis has a poor prognosis for cure, with the right treatment plan this condition can be a manageable one. The emergency nature of this requires rapid intervention to prevent further harm.
Our specialists use their expertise and experience to target the blood-brain barrier for the preservation of neurological and cognitive functions as well as the optimisation of brain control. A common treatment plan will use a combination of stereotactic radiosurgery, intra-operative navigational systems and new systemic agents. As with all other services, our overall aim is to improve our patient’s quality of life.
Spine Metastases Service
Patients with spinal metastases generally face several critical needs:
1) Pain control from the tumor invading into the spinal vertebral
2) Stability of the skeletal structure after the tumor had weakened the bony structure
3) Preservation of neurological function as the tumor often sits within small distances to the spinal cord and the spinal nerves.
Cord compression occurs when the tumor invades into the spinal canal and encroaches onto the spinal cord, leading to symptoms such as limb weakness or bladder and bowel disturbance. New advances in treatment strategies allow us to combine the expertise of each field to achieve the best results: Durable pain control, Durable tumor control, Spinal stability and Neurological Preservation.
Depending on the extent of the tumor, various modalities can be combined such as the use of spinal instrumentation to stabilise the spine; using minimally-invasive techniques, followed by radiosurgery ablation of the tumor. Such an approach allows the surgeon to minimize exposure and reduce the risk of operation and yet achieves tumor ablation through the use of stereotactic radiosurgery. Our specialists are all trained and experienced in the latest developments in these fields which have only emerged over the past decade.
Oligometastases Service
The oligo-metastatic state is one whereby the tumor has already spread beyond the primary site of the cancer, but is limited to only a few sites, usually less than 5. This means that there is an intermediate state between localised cancer, and full-blown stage 4 cancer which invariably leads to death. Aggressive treatment of these sites with the use of ablative radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy may possibly lead to a cure for the patient.
This is significant for the treatment of cancer as patients with limited numbers of metastasis who were previously thought to be incurable by some clinicians might be cured with cancer treatments such as radiotherapy.
While it is still not possible to determine which of these patients may be totally cured, the specialised multi-disciplinary management of the oligometastatic patient utilising minimally invasive techniques such as stereotactic body radiation therapy and other ablative methods in conjunction with carefully selected systemic therapy will ensure that patients get the best chance with least side effects when doing so.
