BEST PROVIDERS OF SPECIALIST CARE
PROSTATE CARE SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC
FARRER PARK HOSPITAL
Farrer Park Hospital ( FPH ) has earned the Prostate Care Service Provider of the Year in the Asia-Pacific Award by implementing an end-to-end continuum of care , from screening and early detection to the latest treatments .
With cancer a common condition affecting the prostate , FPH offers the prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) blood test , a non-invasive option for the detection of early-stage prostate cancer . It is a diagnostic approach that has led to a greater number of diagnoses for prostate cancer , which was among the top three most prevalent malignancies in Singapore between 2013 and 2017 , accounting for 14.1 percent of all cancers diagnosed among males then , according to the report 50 Years of Cancer Registration by the Singapore Cancer Society .
Patients diagnosed with a tumour in stage one or two can opt for the focal one high-intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) treatment , a procedure that delivers ultrasound waves to destroy cancer cells while preserving healthy tissues . Performed under general anaesthesia , the procedure takes between 30 minutes to two hours depending on the cancer volume . It involves no radiation and leaves no scar .
According to Dr Chong Kian Tai , urologist consultant at FPH , focal therapy is not necessarily suitable for all patients with early-stage prostate cancer . Important factors to consider are the stage , area and volume of the tumor . The therapy can usually lead to good outcomes when it ’ s used to treat localised or small cancer areas .
“ Whether it is active surveillance , robotic surgery , radiotherapy or focal
Dr Peng Chung Mien
therapy , the most important step is to discuss with your specialist to find out which of these four treatment choices are suitable for you ,” Dr Chong advised .
One challenge for doctors is that patients with prostate cancer typically don ’ t seek help until the malignancy is at an advanced stage . To treat such patients , FPH was the first private hospital in Singapore to launch the Lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen therapy , where small bits of radioactive materials are injected into the bloodstream to shrink or destroy cancer cells . Often used to treat cancers that have spread to other parts of the body , the procedure aims to stop cancer growth and is a good option for patients who don ’ t tolerate chemotherapy well or have a malignancy that has reached the bone marrow .
“ This form of targeted cancer radiotherapy has been shown to achieve good biochemical ( PSA ) responses with generally mild and transient side effects , and ongoing trials are showing a trend towards improved survival outcomes ,” said Dr Andrew Tan , nuclear medicine physician and head of the Nuclear Medicine Suite at FPH , in a hospital ’ s news release .
Another common condition of the prostate , especially in older men , is benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH ), when the organ enlarges due to the proliferation of prostate cells and the build-up of hormones . Symptoms include blood in the urine , frequent and urgent need to urinate , and urinary tract infection .
To treat the problem , FPH offers a minimally invasive approach called the Prolieve Thermodilation system . Done in about 45 minutes , the procedure involves the insertion of a small tube into the urethra to heat up the prostate and destroy the enlargement . It relieves symptoms and rarely leads to relapses , while patients can go home after the treatment is done .
Prostate cancer often leads to isolation , anxiety , and even depression because of the debilitating urinary problems patients may be reluctant to talk about . For this reason , FPH advocates for increased awareness about the risks of prostate diseases , especially cancer , to encourage people at risk to come forward for screening and testing .
One event to raise awareness was held last November , when two of the hospital ’ s doctors hosted an education session on prostate cancer together with cancer survivors from the Singapore Cancer Society ’ s Walnut Warriors Support Group .
76 DECEMBER 2020 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com