BRAIN & SPINE CANCER CARE IN SINGAPORE

The main reason patients choose Frameless Radiosurgery is because of its effectiveness and because it is non-invasive and painless. It is also very safe with a low side effect profile. Today, there is no need for a metal frame to be screwed into the patient’s skull, and treatment can be completed as fast as within 15min. In addition, in cancer patients, frameless Radiosurgery results in very low downtime, so this allows for patients to receive their chemotherapy cycles on time, so that the other areas of disease in the body can still continue to be kept under control while Radiosurgery addresses the target tumor.

The most common type of cancerous tumour treated with Radiosurgery is Brain and Spine metastasis.

This describes the situation when cells have spread from the original location either into the brain or to the spine. Studies have shown that using targeted radiation helps to preserve the memory of patients, which may be affected if the whole brain is irradiated. At the same time, hair loss can be avoided too. Many patients with brain or spine metastasis require other treatments such as chemotherapy, or they also may not be optimally fit for open surgery due to their situation. Hence, a non-invasive, low downtime option that is equally effective is preferred for these group of patients as compared to undergoing a major operation.

Radiosurgery is also extremely effective for benign brain tumors such as acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwanommas), meningiomas and pituitary tumors with up to 90% cure rates achievable.

Because of its effectiveness and very Low rates of side effects, Radiosurgery has replaced open surgery as the treatment of choice for uncomplicated benign brain tumors which require treatment. Patients are spared from major surgery and the risk of nerve damage.

Other mainstream alternatives include Open Surgery, Minimally-Invasive surgery, and Thermal or Cryo-Ablations. It is important that treatments are tailored to the individual patient in a multi-disciplinary setting for the best outcomes. As mentioned above, SRS can be given in combination with other local treatments depending on the shape and location of the tumor.

Radiosurgery involves delivering extremely high doses of radiation to a focused area. Thus the margin for error is very small and radiation once released cannot be reversed. Hence not only must the Radiosurgeon in-charge be well trained in radiation medicine, he must also have the necessary training in handling the navigational software and radiation delivery equipment, as well as have sufficient clinical experience in giving high radiation doses to different areas of the body. In addition, he needs to ensure that his entire radiation team is well coordinated and familiar with Radiosurgery treatment protocols and quality assurance procedures so that the final result is safe and effective. As the saying goes, we are only as strong as our weakest link.