Mount Alvernia plans to launch a new cancer centre

Mount Alvernia Hospital in Singapore has appointed a third-party cancer care provider to build and manage a new integrated cancer centre on its premises.

Icon SOC will lead the S$25 million project, with services set to open for cancer patients in late 2020. The centre will provide a holistic approach to cancer care by bringing together medical oncology, haematology and radiation oncology in one location.

Founded by Catholic missionaries in 1961, Mount Alvernia Hospital is a 305-bed, not-for-profit general acute-care private hospital with a focus on providing holistic healthcare.

The investment comes in response to one of Singapore’s fastest-growing healthcare demands. Cancer is currently the leading cause of death in the country, accounting for almost 30 percent of deaths, according to official figures. About 37 people in Singapore are diagnosed with cancer every day.

Taking a holistic approach to cancer care, the new facility will offer a 10-chair day-oncology

hospital delivering chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy, as well as a radiation therapy centre with a linear accelerator.

The cancer centre will also feature onsite PET-CT scanners, as well as pathology and pharmacy services. It will have the capacity to treat up to 1,000 patients a year, including the 20 percent of patients who require concurrent chemotherapy and radiation.

“As the risk of cancer increases with age, the number of people being diagnosed and living with

cancer is likely to continue to rise on the back of an ageing population,” said Dr James Lam Kian Ming, chief executive of Mount Alvernia Hospital, in a press release.

“We are very privileged to appoint and partner with Icon so we can provide holistic care for cancer patients in Singapore. This partnership reflects our commitment to give patients the full continuum of care at the time they most need it.”

The new centre will be equipped with the latest Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, which provides advanced precision and speed in radiation therapy, along with other state-of-the-art equipment.

“As an early adopter of the latest treatments in cancer care, including being the first to introduce HyperArc to treat advanced brain metastases, this centre will mean patients will have access to best-practice cancer care earlier,” said Mark Middleton, chief executive of Icon Group, in a press release.

“A combination of world-class expertise and state-of-the-art technology is central to our commitment and investment in Singapore and Asia.”

Icon recently announced it would also bring cancer care to residents in Chongqing and Qingdao in China.

Its global partnership with Varian will see this centre become an Asia-Pacific training hub for radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation therapists.

“Varian is delighted to have been selected by both Icon and Mount Alvernia Hospital to bring the best possible radiation oncology technology and techniques to Singaporeans, while delivering vital training for specialist clinicians,” said Kenneth Tan, regional president of Varian oncology systems, in a press release.

“Building workforce capability and capacity to deliver world-class radiation therapy is something cancer patients across the APAC region deserve.”