Four-month-old girl diagnosed with brain cancer now in remission thanks to proton therapy

SINGAPORE: In the two years since its opening, the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre at the National Cancer Centre Singapore has treated more than 500 patients, including 37 children and adolescents aged 18 or below.

Among them is two-year-old Yanna Lui, the youngest patient to date. In September 2023, when she was just four months old, Yanna was admitted to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital after developing limb weakness and a deviated left eye. Doctors discovered a 6.7-centimetre malignant tumour in her brain that was compressing vital nerves.

Following surgery, which removed 60% of the tumour, Yanna underwent chemotherapy. However, radiation therapy was still required to prevent recurrence. After a careful evaluation, doctors recommended proton therapy due to its ability to deliver precise doses of radiation while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue — an important consideration for a developing brain.

Between July and September last year, Yanna underwent 33 proton therapy sessions at the National Cancer Centre. Today, she is in remission and continues to undergo rehabilitation under close medical supervision.

In a joint statement, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, the National Cancer Centre, and the National Neuroscience Institute emphasised that conventional radiotherapy remains a safe and effective treatment for most cancer patients.

However, in cases where tumours are located near vital organs or in certain childhood cancers, proton therapy may be recommended to optimise outcomes and reduce long-term side effects.