Gene mutation helps some cancer patients live longer

NCCS study finds some head and neck cancer patients responding well to a lung cancer drug

Dr Daniel Tan and Associate Professor Gopalakrishna Iyer embarked on the research after chatting about "weird" cases in which head and neck cancer patients stayed alive years after they should have died.
Dr Daniel Tan and Associate Professor Gopalakrishna Iyer embarked on the research after chatting about "weird" cases in which head and neck cancer patients stayed alive years after they should have died. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

Two doctors at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) have discovered a gene mutation in head and neck cancer patients that, for reasons as yet unknown, results in their responding well to a lung cancer drug.

At least one patient has survived a decade, instead of dying within a few months.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 28, 2018, with the headline Gene mutation helps some cancer patients live longer. Subscribe