"The treatment of cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach" said renowned oncologist Dr See Hui Ti, and this is exactly where the Parkway Cancer Centre (PCC) at Singapore can come in aide with those diagnosed with the disease.

Armed with the latest scientific advancements, the wide range of caregivers starting from qualified physicians, to nurses, counsellors and other professionals, the team at PCC provide holistic cancer care in a safe and calming environment.

As an oncologist specialising on gynaecological cancers, Dr See reiterated the importance of early detection and diagnosis. Most of the patients from Bangladesh seek help from experts at the Parkway in rather advanced stages of the disease, which often leave them only with the option of palliative care, rather than looking for ways of a possible cure. 

"Breast cancer is very much curable. While ovarian cancer is aggressive, it is preventable through vaccines. Cancer is clearly not a death sentence" assured the renowned physician. "For women over 40, it may be necessary to undergo an ultra sonogram, along with a mammogram, followed by regular check-up every two years. But for women less than 40 years of age, regular self breast examination 

to detect lumps in the mammary glands may make the difference between a healthy life and prolonged sufferings" Dr See added.

Sharing her knowledge with Star Lifestyle Dr See Hui Ti expressed her concern that most women seem to ignore the development of apparently benign, painless growth in their breasts. In reality, such painless growths are more susceptible to turning malignant (if they are not already).

Apart from gynaecological carcinoma, oncologist Dr Zee Ying Kiat, another  Senior Consultant at the Parkway Cancer Centre, believes that cancer of the gastrointestinal tract is also high preventable, and if detected early has very good chances of complete recovery. 

Unhealthy food habits are one of the leading risk factors for colorectal, gastric, liver and pancreatic cancers and for a country like Bangladesh, which only recently has witnessed a dramatic shift to changing food habits, the prevalence is not yet widespread, but steadily on the rise.

Dr Zee believes that one of the biggest threats, as far as gastrointestinal cancers are concerned, is that they have few or no symptoms in the early stages. This makes detection difficult. A patient may experience multiple symptoms, but as these do not necessarily indicate a malignant growth only a specialist can make the necessary diagnosis.

Both Dr Zee Ying Kiat and Dr See Hui Ti expressed that treatment of cancer has come a long way from being a dreadful near-death experience. Although not to be trivialised as cancer still poses a great health risk and the psychological trauma patients and their families go through, improvements in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, even surgical procedures can now ensure higher chances of recovery and good life. 

The road to recovery presents unique challenges to each individual. The journey in cancer treatment may raise multiple issues and Parkway Cancer Centre (PCC) is there to help people suffering. 

The battle against cancer is not easy, but through it all, the specialists at Parkway Cancer are there to support and guide the patients. They are there to give them hope.

By Mannan Mashhur Zarif

Dr See Hui Ti works as a Senior Consultant on Gynaecological Cancers at the PCC. She has received her medical training from the United Kingdom and Singapore. Dr Zee Yin Kiat is a specialist in Medical Oncology at Parkway Cancer Centre. He is especially renowned for conducting trials involving novel targeted therapies for carcinoma in the gastrointestinal tracts. 

For more information contact Parkway Cancer Centre (Dhaka), Suite B3, Level-4, House-10, Road No. 53, Dhaka 1212. +880 2-8850422.