At Sunway Medical Centre’s Cancer and Radiosurgery Centre, our team of dedicated Oncology professionals ensures not only the latest innovations in cancer treatment but also offers a personalised and tailored approach for our patients, focusing on effective treatments for an enhanced quality of life.
Cycle of Care for Cancer Patients
The journey through a cancer diagnosis can be a very challenging and anxious time. Our goal is to help you through this journey with the best care you can receive and to provide you with all the support we offer.
SunMed’s Cancer and Radiosurgery Centre involves a multidisciplinary approach to the medical care of all our patients. This includes a tumour board where meetings are held regularly to review cancer cases with a multidisciplinary team present and input from various consultants from different areas of expertise.
This ensures a level of excellence and comprehensive care of our patients.
The da Vinci Surgical System
The da Vinci Surgical System is a surgical platform designed to enable complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. The da Vinci Surgical System consists of an ergonomic surgeon console or consoles, a patient-side cart with three or four interactive arms, a high-performance vision system and proprietary EndoWrist® instruments. Powered by state-of-the-art technology, the da Vinci Surgical System is designed to scale, filter and seamlessly translate the surgeon’s hand movements into more precise movements of the EndoWrist instruments.
The net result is an intuitive interface with advanced surgical capabilities. By providing surgeons with superior visualisation, enhanced dexterity, greater precision and ergonomic comfort compared to other surgical approaches, the da Vinci Surgical System makes it possible for skilled surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures involving complex dissection or reconstruction.
INTRABEAM Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT)
This innovative therapy is administered at the time of lumpectomy, following cancer removal. INTRABEAM IORT is delivered using a miniaturised radiation device which is inserted into the lumpectomy incision. Therapeutic radiation is then directed immediately and precisely right where it is needed most – the location where the cancer was removed. Localising the radiation inside the breast is effective because studies show that this is where cancer is most likely to recur.
Varian TrueBeam STx
The Varian TrueBeam™ STx technology is a revolutionary innovation in cancer treatment. It expands radiotherapy treatment options for even the most challenging cancer cases in the lung, breast, head and neck, abdomen, liver and other regions.
The system uses sophisticated 3D imaging to target and treat tumours of all shapes, sizes and locations with pinpoint accuracy. Images can be generated using 25% less X-ray dose. These images are used to fine-tune a patient’s position prior to and during the treatment process.
The precision of the system is measured in increments of less than a millimetre. This accuracy is made possible by the system’s sophisticated architecture, which synchronizes imaging, patient positioning, motion management, beam shaping and dose delivery. The system performs accuracy checks every ten milliseconds throughout the entire treatment.
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a procedure that involves placing radioactive material inside your body to treat cancer. It allows your doctor to use a higher total dose of radiation to treat a smaller area in shorter time than conventional external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).
Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat Prostate Cancer. It also can be used for gynaecologic cancers such as Cervical Cancer as well as Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Rectal Cancer, Eye Cancer, and Skin Cancer.
Benefits of Brachytherapy include effectiveness of treatment, minimized side effects, shorter treatment time, a standard of care treatment and is a state-of-the-art technology.
Gamma Knife
The Gamma Knife is not a conventional surgical knife in the traditional sense. In fact, there are no knives or scalpels involved, no incisions made. This “knife” refers to an array of 192 precise beams of gamma radiation that produces a powerful dose of concentrated radiation when converged at the treatment site. It targets tumours and abnormalities, stunting their growth and shrinking them over time while sparing the surrounding healthy brain tissues.
This advanced radiation technique provides an outpatient treatment option to patients suffering from brain conditions that typically requires surgery, an alternative method for a number of conditions whereby an open neurosurgery may be highly risky or not practicable. It can be used to treat a number of neurological disorders including brain metastases, arteriovenous malformations, facial nerve pain (trigeminal neuralgia), meningioma, acoustic neuromas, gliomas and pituitary tumours.
Our Cancer and Radiosurgery Centre is made up of Outpatient Oncology Clinics and a Daycare Chemotherapy unit located at the Ground Floor and the Radiotherapy unit at the Lower Ground Floor.
- State-of-art radiotherapy services at Sunway Medical Centre include 4D treatment, stereotactic body radiation therapy and image-guided adaptive radiation therapy
- Integrated treatment plan tailored to individual’s needs and diagnosis
- First hospital to install Varian TrueBeam STx in Malaysia. The Varian TrueBeam STx system uses sophisticated 3D imaging to target and treat tumours of all shapes, sizes and locations with pinpoint accuracy
The goal of the ‘Cycle of Care’ is to give patients the best chances of a positive outcome, enhanced quality and vitality of life through early diagnosis, optimal treatment interventions, a multi-disciplinary team approach and immaculate symptom control.
- ONCOLOGIST
After the diagnosis of cancer by a primary consultant, the patient will be referred to an oncologist, who specialises in the treatment of cancer.
- INVESTIGATIONS
The oncologist will conduct further investigations to find out more about the cancer, e.g. blood test, imaging, bone marrow, liver biopsy, colonoscopy, etc.
- TREATMENT OPTIONS
The oncologist will then discuss treatment options that are suitable for the patient and address any concerns the patient may have. Some of these treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and supportive care. There will be pre-treatment counselling by the specialist and oncology nurse.
- TREATMENT PROCEDURES
Before each treatment, there will be a consultation with the oncologist. Regular blood investigations will be carried out as treatment progresses. Imaging will be conducted after two to three cycles of treatment. The patient’s clinical issues will be discussed by a multi-disciplinary team.
- MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM
Cancer patients at SunMed’s Cancer Centre can be assured comprehensive review of their disease and a combined multi-disciplinary plan by the team of cancer specialists present on-site to maximise the chances of disease remission and quality of life. A typical multidisciplinary team consists of a doctor, dietitian, pharmacist, oncology nurse, rehabilitation staff, psychologist, counsellor, home nursing staff and physiotherapist.SunMed’s Cancer Centre includes a tumour board where meetings are held to review cancer patients from a unique, multi-disciplinary perspective. This brings together different consultants from surgery, medical and radiation oncology to review the patient’s diagnosis and for the best outcome management. Tumour boards are a necessary pre-requisite to ensure excellence in cancer care and allow for optimal multi-disciplinary cooperation.
- POST-TREATMENT & FOLLOW UP
After treatment is completed, regular follow-ups with the consultant, together with blood tests and imaging will be scheduled for the patient.
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Primary Physicians / Surgeons
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Haematologist
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Clinical Psychologist
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Patient Care Coordinator
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Radiation Therapist
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Medical Oncologist
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Pathologist
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Radiologist
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Pharmacist
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Dietitian
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Clinical Oncologist
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Palliative Care Physician
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Oncology Nurse
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Medical Physicist
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Physiotherapist
Reference links:
• Hospis Malaysia
A charitable organisation that offers professional palliative care to patients in Klang Valley who are suffering from life-limiting illnesses.
• National Cancer Society of Malaysia
Dedicated to preventing cancer, and improving the quality of lives of those living with cancer through patient care and education.
• Empowered Malaysia
A non-profit organisation committed to saving lives, preventing cancer and eliminating suffering amongst the poor.
• Cancerlink Foundation
This foundation provides extensive support care programmes and services to cancer patients, and their families and friends.
What causes cancer?
Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that grow uncontrollably and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control.
How can cancer be prevented?
Cancer that is closely linked to certain behaviours is the easiest to prevent. For example, choosing not to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol significantly lower the risk of several types of cancer – most notably lung, throat, mouth and liver cancer. Even if you are a current tobacco user, quitting can still greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer.
Eat more plant-based foods, e.g. fresh fruits and vegetables. Aim for at least 5 and preferably 7 servings a day.
Some cancer prevention is based on systemic screening in order to detect small irregularities or tumours as early as possible even if there are no clear symptoms present. Breast self–examination, mammograms, testicular self–examination, colonoscopy and Pap smear are common screening methods for various cancer.
Can cancer spread from one person to another person?
Cancer occurs by out-of-control cell growth; therefore it can’t be spread to other people.
What are some of the common cases at Sunway Medical Centre?
At Sunway Medical Centre, the more common cancer cases are breast, colorectal and lung cancer.
With early detection programme such as mammography and colonoscopy, cancer can be prevented or treated at the early stage when cure is possible.
For tumours which are not at an early stage, a combined approach of multidisciplinary management including surgeons; radiotherapist and medical oncologists will ensure a better outcome of treatment.
What are the treatments of cancer?
Cancer is not just one disease, but a large group consisting of many diseases. Treatments will generally vary according to the type of cancer; e.g. breast cancer and the stage (extent of the tumour). However for most patients with the more cancers including gastro intestinal, breast and lung cancer, treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and other systemic anti-cancer treatments.
Who is a Medical Oncologist
A Medical Oncologist is a consultant physician who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Medical Oncologists are mainly involved in chemotherapy (use of anti cancer medication to destroy cancer cells), targeted biological treatments and in supportive cure.
For more information or appointments, please call:
Location:
LG, Tower C
