The development of radiation therapy in Singapore--its present status & future prospects

X-rays were introduced into Singapore soon after their discovery but their use in therapy did not take place until 1914. Radiation therapy was widely used only after 1949 when the first deep X-ray machine was installed. Since then the number of patients given this treatment has progressively increased, keeping pace with the rising cancer incidence. In 1981, 2533 cases were referred for treatment, out of which 1889 were given radiation treatment. The value of radiotherapy in malignant disease has been established both as a palliative as well as a radical method of treatment. Through improved techniques, better therapy equipment, and greater understanding of malignant disease, results of radical radiotherapy have shown progressive improvement. Further advances can be expected with newer techniques which have been put to clinical trials recently. These are planning with CT Scan, conformation radiotherapy, radiation sensitizers and protectors, hyperfractionation, hyperthermia, intraoperative radiotherapy, heavy particle radiotherapy and isotopic immunoglobulin therapy.