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About Blood Cancers

Blood cancers occurs when different components of the blood have excessive, uncontrolled production. The type of cancers is classified based on the type of cells which are involved and are broadly divided into the myeloid or lymphoid family of cells. The maturity of these cells further determines their behaviour with the most immature cells being called blast cells. When blood cancer cells are predominantly found in the blood and bone marrow, the condition will be called a leukemia. 

People with blood cancers may present with symptoms such as fatigue, fever, swelling of the lymph nodes and abdominal organs, or bleeding and clotting disorders. In some cases, such as Myeloma Bone Disease, patients may experience bone pain, fractures, or bone weakness. Their blood test may show abnormalities such as low or high cell blood counts. 

Types of Blood Cancers 

Some of the more common blood cancers and useful information regarding them are listed below:

Patients with suspected blood cancers may be referred by their doctors to our General Haematology consult service for preliminary assessment and investigations. Further specialized investigations such as bone marrow studies, tissue biopsies and radiological scans are then conducted as necessary. Upon confirmation of the diagnosis, patients will come under the care of our Blood Cancer service which will prognosticate and plan the  treatment and subsequent management. All cancer cases are discussed at our Department’s Tumour Board where our haematologists will provide their inputs and share their expertise to determine optimal management of our patients.

Treatment for Blood Cancers 

Should treatment be necessary, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other targeted therapy may be use individually or in combination. This may be in oral or injection forms. Such treatment may be administered during hospitalisation or on an outpatient basis in our Haematology Centre. Home therapy is available for selected treatment regimens and patients.

Some patients may require additional treatment with stem cell transplant or cellular therapy to improve their treatment responses or for relapse of their cancers. Should this become necessary, they will be transitioned to the Haematopoietic Cell Therapy and Transplant service with the doctors in this subspecialty service handling the transplant and cellular therapy for patients requiring this enhanced treatment for their blood cancer.

As a tertiary treatment centre, we also run in-house and multi-centre national and international clinical trials  which offers eligible patient access to novel therapies to help with their cancer treatment.

Support for Patients with Blood Cancer 

We also have a Cancer Survivorship service to support patients after they have completed their therapy.

Going through the diagnosis and treatment of cancers can be emotionally and psychologically challenging. To support our patients and their care-givers through this period, our team of experienced specialist nurses, medical social workers together with patient support groups are well-geared to provide care and counselling to our patients.

We are part of the Singhealth-Duke NUS Academic Medical Centre which brings together specialist from Singapore General Hospital (SGH), National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) to unify the delivery of care for patients. 

Our Care Team

Acute Leukemias

Lymphoma/Myeloma

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms:

Acute Leukemias

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Lymphoma/Myeloma

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Senior Consultant
Chandramouli Nagarajan Clin Assoc Prof

Clin Assoc Prof Chandramouli Nagarajan

MBBS, FRCP(Edin), FRCPath(UK)

Clinical Interests: Lymphoma, Myeloma

Chen Yunxin Dr

Dr Chen Yunxin

MBBS, MRCP(UK), FRCPath(UK)

Clinical Interests: Lymphoma, Myeloma

Nicholas Grigoropoulos Dr

Dr Nicholas Grigoropoulos

MBBS, PhD, MRCP(UK), FRCPath(UK)

Clinical Interests: Lymphoma

Goh Yeow Tee Clin Prof

Clin Prof Goh Yeow Tee

MBBS, M Med (Int Med)

Clinical Interests: Stem Cell Transplantation, Lymphoproliferative Disease, Myeloma

Than Hein Dr

Dr Than Hein

MBBS, MRCP(UK), MMed(Int Med), FRCPath(UK), FAMS

Clinical Interests: Acute Leukemia, Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Haematopoietic Stem Cell & Cellular Therapy

William Hwang Prof

Prof William Hwang

​MBBS, M Med(Int Med), FRCP(London), FAMS

Clinical Interests: Haematopoietic Stem Cell & Cellular Therapy

Francesca Lorraine Lim Dr

Dr Francesca Lorraine Lim

MBBS, BSc, MMed(Int Med), MRCP(UK)

Clinical Interests: Haematopoietic Stem Cell & Cellular Therapy

Ong Chin-Ann Johnny Assoc Prof

Assoc Prof Ong Chin-Ann Johnny

MBBS (S'pore), MRCS (Ed), M Med (Surgery), FRCS (Ed), PhD (Cambridge)

Clinical Interests: Peritoneal-based Malignancies, Sarcoma, Skin & Melanoma, Colorectal, Gastrointestinal, Gastrointestinal Oncology, General Surgery, Gynae-Oncology, Lymphoma (DMO, DRO), Melanoma, Pelvic & Peritoneal, Sarcoma/Skin, Supportive & Palliative Care, Upper Gastrointestinal

Consultant
Nurul Aidah Dr

Dr Nurul Aidah

MBChB (Hons), MRCP(UK), FRCPath(Haematology)

Clinical Interests: Acute Leukemia

Melinda Tan Dr

Dr Melinda Tan

​​MD, MMed(Int Med), MRCP(UK)

Clinical Interests: Lymphoma, Myeloma, Laboratory Haematology

Tan Yan Chin Dr

Dr Tan Yan Chin

​MD(UKM), MMed(NUS), MRCP(UK), FRCPath(UK)

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Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

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Senior Consultant
Than Hein Dr

Dr Than Hein

MBBS, MRCP(UK), MMed(Int Med), FRCPath(UK), FAMS

Clinical Interests: Acute Leukemia, Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Haematopoietic Stem Cell & Cellular Therapy

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Last updated on 06 Mar 2025