Your Complete Cervical Cancer Care Centre
“Patients with cervical cancer go through a very vulnerable phase of their life. Our duty is to ensure the highest standards of care, and to walk each step of this journey with them.”
Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Treatments
Cervical cancer is a disease most commonly diagnosed in women between 30-50 years of age. It is a serious diagnosis that requires prompt and urgent attention. The treatment of cervical cancer is complex and should be managed by a gynae-oncologist who will work closely with a multi-disciplinary team
To help you better understand your treatment, here are a few important points we have put together for you:
Multi-Disciplinary Care in Cervical Cancer
It is important that cervical cancer is managed by a team of experienced gynaecological cancer specialists. The gynae-oncologist coordinates the entire care of the patient, working closely with his other colleagues to ensure timely and integrated treatment. A compassionate and responsive team of nurses, therapists and clinic staff is also essential to ensure that patients receive close support during this vulnerable period of their lives.
Meet Our Gynae-Oncologist
Dr David Tan Boon Harn
SENIOR CONSULTANT RADIATION ONCOLOGIST
MEDICAL DIRECTOR (AARO)
MBBS (SIN), FRCR (CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, UK), FAMS (RADIATION ONCOLOGY)
View Dr David's profile here
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Are Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) & Adenocarcinomas of the Cervix treated differently?SCCs make up 90% of all cervical cancers while Adenocarcinoma comprises the remaining 10%. Studies have shown that SCCs respond better to radiotherapy than adenocarcinomas, and also have better outcomes. Therefore, a lot of research has gone into whether patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix should undergo more extensive treatment ie more chemotherapy/immunotherapy, or whether they should undergo surgery instead. However, these studies have so far NOT shown any benefit with these alternative strategies, and in some cases, have in fact shown worst outcomes. Therefore, at this moment, international guidelines continue to recommend that both SCC and Adenocarcinoma of the Cervix are treated in the same way.
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Isn’t surgery a better treatment since it physically removes the tumour?All cancer treatments including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can remove tumours, except through different mechanisms. While surgery physically takes the tumour out of the body, radiotherapy destroys tumour cells where they are by specifically targeting the DNA of those cells and causing them to die off. The body then clears away the dead cells on its own, resulting in the same outcome as surgery.
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Why is surgery only recommended in early-stage cervical cancer?The pelvis is a narrow space with numerous critical organs, nerves and muscles within it. Surgery in the pelvis has several limitations as cutting beyond certain boundaries can result in damage of these critical structures resulting in permanent symptoms such as lower limb numbness/weakness and urinary or bowel incontinence. In addition, if surgery is attempted in advanced or bulky cancers which have spread beyond those boundaries, there is a high chance that tumour cells will be left behind, resulting in worst outcomes. These above reasons are why surgery is only recommended for early-stage cervical cancer.
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How is radiotherapy suited to treat late-stage cervical cancer?Radiotherapy on the other hand, does not have the same limitations as surgery, and can be directed safely at tumours that have spread beyond surgical boundaries. Nerves and muscles are very resistant to radiotherapy and will not be damaged even if radiation dose is directed at those areas. Thus, radiotherapy is most effective in locally advanced disease, where it can comprehensively cover all extent of disease while preventing damage to the critical structures. The use of advanced radiotherapy techniques further facilitates this process, allowing the radiation oncologist to sculpt the doses accurately, thus maximally avoiding the critical organs.
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What is Brachytherapy?Brachytherapy refers to internal radiotherapy where applicators are inserted into the body and next to the tumour to deliver radiation directly to the target. It is usually performed in tumour sites which are assessable from the outside of the body i.e., cervix, prostate, breast. Brachytherapy is an essential component in the radiotherapy treatment of cervical cancer as it allows a high dose boost to the tumour. Without brachytherapy, it will be almost impossible to deliver the total doses necessary to effect a cure. Brachytherapy is a procedure that only certain specially trained radiation oncologists can perform. Skill and technique are required to ensure accurate placement of applicators and ensuring the right amount of dose is delivered safely to the tumour. Click here to find out more about the brachytherapy procedure.
What You Need To Know About Cervical Cancer
This Ebook is created to provide cancer patients, caregivers, family and friends a compilation of the relevant resources that they can use to navigate their cancer journey.
Cervical Cancer Ebook Content:
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What is Cervical Cancer
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Understanding Your Options
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Symptoms of Cervical Cancer
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Early Stage Symptoms
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Later Stage Symptoms
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Diagnostic Tests for Cervical Cancer
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Treatment Options
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Potential Side Effects
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Your First Consultation Toolkit
Our Insurance Panel
About Asian Alliance Radiation & Oncology
Founded in 2015, Asian Alliance Radiation & Oncology (AARO) is Singapore’s first independent radiation oncology clinic which has since grown to become an Oncology Group with its own radiation treatment center, ‘Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery’ situated at Adam Road.
Anchored by a multidisciplinary team of Oncologists and Healthcare Professionals who are well-versed in the latest cancer treatments and trends, AARO aims to provide a one-stop solution for each patient’s unique situation – delivering evidence-based medicine and personalized care.
We are located at
Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery
19 Adam Road,
Crawfurd Hospital Basement 1
Singapore 289891
References
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https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/cervical-patient-guideline.pdf
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Deng, X., Han, C., Chen, S., Xie, C., Yi, J., Zhou, Y., Zheng, X., Deng, Z. and Jin, X. (2017), Dosimetric benefits of intensity-modulated radiotherapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy in the treatment of postoperative cervical cancer patients. J Appl Clin Med Phys, 18: 25-31. https://doi.org/10.1002/acm2.12003