Medical Professionals Version - National Cancer Centre Singapore

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In Focus
SALUBRIS
July / August 2009
NCCS TEAM IS GETTING THE
ANSWERS FOR LIVER CANCER
The NCCS team has come up with a modality to test drug
combinations in laboratories and today their work has found
its way to the patients who are on clinical trials. At the onset
of this trial, a biopsy of the tumour from the patient was first
taken and implanted into a mouse. The mouse underwent
treatment with the use of one drug and its progress was
monitored. Subsequently, other drugs were administered
until the desired result was obtained.
Thus far, the team has tested a combination of two drugs, both of which are produced by two different giant pharmaceutical companies, for liver
cancer. The combination of two drugs was found to be more effective than the use of one drug. Based on this discovery, a Phase I clinical trial
testing on liver cancer patients for this two-drug combination was conducted. Twenty-seven patients participated in this trial and the results were
encouraging, with complete shrinkage of the tumour in a few patients. A Phase II trial will be launched on some 59 patients later this year.
The team behind this timely
discovery comprises of Adjunct
Professor Huynh Hung from
the NCCS Humphrey Oei Institute of
Cancer research (Division of Cellular
and Molecular Research) and clinician
investigators Dr Toh Han Chong, Head
of the Department of Medical Oncology
and Dr Choo Su Pin, Consultant for the
Department of Medical Oncology.
Professor Hui Kam Man, Director, Division
of Cellular and Molecular Research at
NCCS said: “We could not have achieved
this without the financial support from the
Singapore Millennium Fund, the National
Medical Research Fund and the Singapore
Cancer Syndicate. They could see the
significance of our project and gave us the
necessary funding to make this a reality.”
The team’s success has prompted more
drug companies to come together and
use NCCS as a platform to best their drug
combinations. More clinical trials are in
the works.
However, exemplary treatment
methods are futile if patients are late
in seeking medical attention. Majority
of liver cancer fatalities could have
been prevented with early detection.
Thus, for NCCS’s 2nd Liver Cancer
Awareness Campaign in September
this year, great emphasis was placed
on raising public awareness and
encouraging more people to do
health screenings.
To reach out to more households,
public forums will be held at the Paya
Lebar Kovan Community Centre on 12
and 13 September 2009. The forums
will be presented in English and
Mandarin. All attendees are entitled
to free goodie bags and vouchers for
free Hepatitis screenings at SingHealth
Polyclinics. Madam Cynthia Phua,
MP for Aljunied GRC, who will be
launching the LiCAM campaign urged
the public to go for regular medical
screenings, their best defense against
the disease.
The campaign will focus on information
on the latest treatment methods and
care for liver cancer patients, the risk of
Hepatitis and how to avoid contracting
fatty liver. Fatty liver is a condition that is
likely to become more common among
affluent Singaporeans.
It is expedited when fat accumulates in
Hepatocytes, or tiny sacs of liver cells.
Although fatty liver is a benign condition,
it can give rise to a wide spectrum of
liver diseases, lead to inflammation and
scarring of the liver and eventually, liver
cancer if left undetected. The campaign is
sponsored by Bayer Healthcare.
Dr Tan Yu Meng, Deputy Head and Senior
Consultant, Department of Surgical
Oncology, NCCS and Surgical Director,
Liver Transplant Programme, SGH, who
spearheads the Liver Cancer Awareness
Month Committee said, “Early detection
is the best solution for liver cancer
as often by the time the patients are
brought to our attention it is too late for
treatment. Hence, we hope to raise public
awareness so that they will come forward
and take advantage of the free screening.”
With greater public
awareness and improved
cancer treatments, liver
cancer patients may
look ahead with lighter
hearts as NCCS brings its
research work from the
bench to the bedside.