“Thank you for helping me through the cancer journey”
NTEC Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary TeamPrince of Wales Hospital / Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital / North District Hospital
Lung cancer has long been the leading cancer killer in Hong Kong. According to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, there were over 3,800 deaths from lung cancer and over 5,600 new cases in 2018. Members from the Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Team from New Territories East Cluster share the vision to provide the best personalised care for lung cancer patients.
“Each lung cancer patient is different. The presentation and progression of the cancer are very variable. Treating lung cancer is like a chess game, we always need to think ahead,” says the team. “Although we may not be able to cure patients who presented at the more advanced stage of the disease, we strive to look for novel treatment options to control the disease and improve their quality of life,” adds the team leader, Professor Calvin Ng, Honorary Consultant of Department of Surgery at Prince of Wales Hospital.
Doctors in the team come from many different specialties, including oncology, surgery, medicine, pathology, anesthesiology and radiology. Monthly meetings are held to discuss and follow up complex cases. The most advanced and pioneer research findings are often incorporated in the management for these cases, providing new hope for patients. The meeting is an invaluable opportunity for the team members to gain new exposure and understand how to look at the same disease from other specialties’ point of view, while maintaining the motivation to learn throughout their medical career.
Nursing and allied health colleagues also play a very important role in lung cancer care. In 2018, a nurse clinic was set up to provide lung cancer care services to the patients and their families. Patient and family counselling and treatment information are provided by specialty nurses while physiotherapists arrange prehabilitation and rehabilitation to improve the outcome of lung cancer surgery. Advanced Practice Nurse Chau Yin-ling says, “The patients and their family would inevitably feel anxious about the diagnosis. If we follow up the cases at the nurse clinic from the beginning, we can understand more about their needs and concerns, and provide appropriate emotional support to them. I am exceptionally encouraged every time when the patients are discharged and thanked me for accompanying them during the fight against lung cancer.”
Team List