Breast surgery is a specialisation close to my heart. I find I can relate to my patients and feel privileged that they trust me to safeguard their breast health and their lives. As the Service Chief of the SKH Breast Centre, and a breast surgical oncologist, my main interest lies in cutting edge breast cancer surgical techniques that considers the patient’s disease, alongside their need for aesthetic surgical solutions. I am particularly passionate about oncoplastic and minimally-invasive breast surgery, tailoring ‘off-the-breast’ and ‘minimal-access’ incisions to provide the illusion of ‘nearly scarless’ breast resections. These practice principles prioritise not only disease eradication but also physical restoration, which in turn affects our patients’ mental wellbeing and overall quality of life.
At SKH, my team and I had the unique opportunity to co-create our hospital’s set up, workflow and processes, physical and cultural environment from the start. It allowed us to envision how our ideal breast centre would function, and streamline the patient journey in the best possible way from the get go. Today each patient who visits the SKH Breast Centre benefits from our rapid one-stop services, same-day diagnostic workup, patient centered multidisciplinary management, our armory of cutting-edge technology and individualised surgical techniques.
In the last few decades, healthcare has become more evidence based, and more specialised treatment options have changed the face and prognosis of a multitude of diseases, including breast cancer. Although cancer prevalence appears to be on a general rise, survival outcomes have continued to show improvement, implying that its imperative we recommend treatment strategies that patients that don’t just cure, but also ensure long-term quality function and life. Medical practice is increasingly integrated and multidisciplinary. In order to walk the talk, I work closely with our multidisciplinary and multicenter team that includes specialized breast radiologists, pathologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, gynaecologists, genetic counsellors, specialist breast nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, and plastic and reconstructive microsurgeons, to guide each patient and their loved ones through their individualized treatment journey and survivorship.
On a personal level, I feel lucky to have found medicine as my calling, and blessed to have had all these opportunities to pursue my dreams. I've always known that someday I would dedicate my life to helping people through my practice, and I work hard to keep myself up to date with the ever evolving healthcare landscape. I am also a daughter, sister, wife and mother of two!
My biggest joy at work comes from establishing a relationship with my patients; I appreciate their trust in me to see them through their treatment and survivorship, and it’s inevitable that I’ve grown invested in a lot of their lives. It is also a continual pleasure to work amongst colleagues at SKH and SingHealth, who wholeheartedly place our patients at the center of all we do! Together, we treat patients not just to cure them of cancer and other diseases, but so that they can fully live their best lives
Asst Prof Sabrina Ngaserin
Head and Consultant, Breast Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital
Service Chief for SKH, SingHealth Duke-NUS Breast Cancer
