Cancer sees no age when it takes over a victim, for Dr. Tiam’s youngest patient is about two years old and the oldest patient is 75. Dr Ang Peng Tiam earns reputation as one of the best cancer specialists in the Southeast Asian region. He currently serves as a Consultant Medical Oncologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore, where he was recently sharing his specialty with a foreign delegation.
This C word has the natural tendency to give people the creeps sometimes creating the worse misconception that it is a terminal disease. The disease can be cured or at least controlled, Dr. Tiam emphasizes, on two grounds: early but accurate detection and best but proper treatments. The patients in late stages should be given treatments that lengthen their lifespan assuring them a serene death.
“Confidence is ultra important. It is the bridge between the doctor and the patient. Most of the tumours can be wiped away, and we can make the patient’s life long. I always point that people have no reason get scared of this disease.”
Majority of Dr Tiam’s patients come from Malaysia and Indonesia, while he gets a good number of patients from Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar as well. He is well respected for his expertise in oncology, study of tumours, which is essential in cancer treatment. He frequents foreign seminars on cancer to freshen up his expertise.
Many come to him for his opinions both physically and over the phone.
“Consultations do not cost me anything, so I don’t charge people for consultations. But I cannot see everyone all the time, and I know some patients would not want to ask certain things, either because they are scared, embarrassed or just confused. So I wrote a book called ‘Doctor I have cancer. Can you Help me?’”
Patients like to hear things. Mostly positive, but that’s not always a possibility. But there should be words of comfort to lift their sunken spirits. The book that runs for 120 pages is consisted of 10 chapters with interesting stories of cancer survivors in Dr. Tiam’s life.
“All doctors understand the fears that our patients have. We do not and should not brush such fears aside.”
Dr Tiam has his own strategies of winning his patients’ confidence. He keeps a database of every patient. In case a patient does not believe that their doctor has seen enough of worse cases and fared well with them, Dr. Tiam has the records as examples.
Controlling cancer can sometimes sound costly. One of his patients wanted to stop medication because it was too expensive. The doctor had to accept the terms, and he did. Within a few months her left breast’s tumour made a comeback causing the lady to get back to medication however expensive it turned out to be.
When Dr Tiam started specializing oncology back in 1990s, there were only five experts in the whole Singapore.
“It’s a subject that keeps on changing. We have a good number of drugs with minimal side effects. Its exciting nature itself brings me satisfaction. First we study the natural history. Then comes the treatment methods, which is the deciding factor.”
Oncologist’s work role starts with the diagnosis that confirms positive cancer. They have to stage the disease to survey how far the disease has spread to decide on the treatment option. Some stages require radiation surgery which means the oncologist has to work hand in hand with the surgeon and radiotherapist. Dr Tiam has come across the three commonest kinds of cancer: breast, lung and gastrointestinal cancer.
His line of work may seem full of despair to somebody. “Being optimistic is an essential requirement for an oncologist,” says the doctor, “if you get frustrated over seeing some of your patients dying of cancer and in worse stages, then you are in the wrong position. I always enjoy looking after cancer patients, because I always believe on cure. And if I feel it’s really too much some day, I’ll quit this job for a teaching position or research.”
Dr Tiam came back to Singapore in 1991 completing his overseas training to found and head the Medical Oncology Deparment at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He has the natural knack for research, although he hardly has time for any now. He was honoured for his medical contributions in 1996 which was to be followed by many of the genre.
Even at 50s, Dr Ang Peng Tiam looks very much younger with his face always smiling full of hope. Whoever sees him will be left with the memory that will keep on haunting: cancer – no worries about exceptions - can be cured, and we are not alone fighting against the ‘dreadful disease’.
