Dear Editor, Artificial intelligence (AI) is viewed as the most important recent advancement in radiology with the potential to achieve Singapore’s objective of delivering value-based patient-centric care.1 We have developed and implemented a deep-learning model using bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) neural network to enable automated triage of unstructured free-text...

To our knowledge this is the first reported case of an isolated vesicocutaneous fistula related to previous radiation therapy for recurrent vulvar cancer. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Orbital lymphoma is a rare presentation of extranodal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, accounting for less than 1% of the total. The role of radiotherapy in its management is well-established. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Studies have shown beyond doubt that chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer prolongs survival, impedes progression and stabilises disease. Compared with supportive care alone, it could also provide considerable benefits in terms of improved quality of life. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

Nocardiosis is an infection caused by a soil-borne aerobic filamentous bacterium in the genus Nocardia and the order Actinomycetales. Within the genus Nocardia, N. asteroides, N. brasiliensis and N. caviae are responsible for nearly all nocardial infections in man. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

The introduction of a new diagnostic test into a clinical arena goes through a number of stages. The first stage is technical development. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Although no significant survival difference exists between primary surgery and radiotherapy (RT) for the treatment of FIGO stage Ib cervical cancer, radical surgery is the preferred modality of treatment as conservation of the ovarian and vaginal function is of prime importance. It also allows the study of prognostic histopathological...

Optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSMs) account for one-third of primary optic nerve tumours, are the second most common optic nerve tumours after gliomas, and are the most common tumours of the optic nerve sheath. Although ONSMs are said to comprise 1% to 2% of all meningiomas, their reported incidence...

Radiation optic neuropathy (RON) is an infrequent but usually devastating consequence of radiation to the optic pathways. It is almost exclusively an iatrogenic phenomenon, occurring in patients who have undergone radiation therapy for tumours and other lesions in sites near the visual apparatus, such as the choroid, orbit, paranasal...

Antimonial compounds are regarded as the treatment of choice for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The efficacy of sodium stibogluconate (pentostam) and the other compound of antimoniate meglumine antimoniate (glucantime) were reported in 1937 and 1946, respectively. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Dr Tan Kim Ping, Chairman for the Dr FY Khoo Memorial Lecture, Ladies and Gentlemen – It is a signal honour for me to deliver this Lecture, the second since the Inaugural Lecture last year. Sadly, it has been renamed a Memorial Lecture, as Dr FY Khoo passed away...

Cancer complicates approximately 1 per 1000 pregnancies and accounts for one third of maternal deaths during gestation.1,2 The reproductive system is affected by malignant growth more frequently than any other systems during pregnancy. Pregnancy-associated breast cancer is defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy, lactation or 1-year postpartum. The...

Since its founding in 1958, The Michener Institute (MI) for Applied Health Sciences has distinguished itself as one of Canada’s top post-secondary educational institutions in the field of applied health sciences. The MI undertook a joint venture with the Faculty of Medicine in 1998 to establish the first diploma...

Since its advent in 1982, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important component in the evaluation of multiple sclerosis (MS). MRI is a highly sensitive tool for MS, with 95% patients with clinically definite MS (CDMS) demonstrating brain abnormalities.1 However, MRI is also known to be low in...

High-grade glioma (malignant glioma) is the most common primary intra-axial tumour of the central nervous system (CNS). Despite recent therapeutic advances in glioma treatment, the outcome for high-grade glioma has been disappointing. The first reported case of glioma resection was performed by Rickman Godlee in 1884.1 More than a...

Multidisciplinary care has now been established as the optimal management principle for the majority of malignancies.1,2 However, the model of multidisciplinary care, specifically the role of a formal multidisciplinary tumour clinic (MTC), remains unestablished outside of breast cancer care.2 There is minimal evidence to quantitatively assess the potential benefits...

High-grade astrocytoma includes glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (World Health Organization grade 4) and anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) (WHO grade 3). These are the more common gliomas in adults.1 Treatment of these highly aggressive neoplasms remains a challenge. The infiltrative nature of astrocytoma or location of tumour in the eloquent brain precludes...

Cancer is the leading cause of death and the second most common cause of hospitalisation in Singapore. Cancer rehabilitation aims to help the patient achieve maximum physical, social, psychological and vocational function within limits imposed by cancer and its therapy through a multi-disciplinary approach. This article is available only as...

Radiation-induced sensori-neural hearing loss (SNHL) has long been recognised as a complication of radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck tumours, if the auditory pathways had been included in the radiation fields. In Singapore, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is common and the prevalence of SNHL after radiotherapy for NPC has been...

There is an increasing interest in personalised medicine, perhaps none greater than in the field of oncology. The idea of making therapeutic decisions based on an individual’s genetic makeup, with the ability to predict tumour response, as well as minimise toxicity is extremely appealing to the oncologist. This is...