Biography:

Education:

Dr Wong Ru Xin graduated from the National University of Singapore on the Dean’s list in 2009 and started residency training at National Cancer Centre Singapore. She obtained her MRCS (Member Royal College of Surgeon) in 2010 and FRCR (Fellow Royal College of Radiologist in clinical oncology) in 2016. 

Work experience:

Dr Wong worked at the National Cancer Center of Singapore for more than 10 years before leaving for private practice. As part of her training in proton therapy, she received the Ministry of Health Manpower Development Program to spend time in the USA. She continues to serve NCCS as an IRB member.

Specialised areas:

Her practice includes radiation therapy technology and the treatment of breast, head and neck, paediatric, brain, skin cancer and sarcoma. Dr Wong is skilled in the use of electrons, 3D, IGRT, VMAT, SBRT and Proton Beam Therapy in treating cancer.

Training courses:

She has attended relevant courses like Winter School in Particle Therapy, ESTRO Particle Therapy, ESTRO Radiobiology and physics, ESTRO brain, ESTRO Head and Neck, and ESTRO Stereotactic Radiosurgery. 

Research:

Dr Wong was the principal investigator in a few clinical trials and studies while in public institutions. 

Dr Wong has published local and regional papers on cancer prognostication, outcomes, and using novel techniques. Dr Wong concluded a clinical trial using hypo-fractionated radiotherapy in sarcomas. She also received grants to implement open-faced masks and silicon grip rings for patient comfort, electronic patient-reported outcomes, and study repeat MRI for adaptive radiotherapy in intracranial malignancies. While in National Cancer Center Singapore, she implemented new clinical technologies like pulsed low dose rate radiotherapy and collaborated with her colleagues to implement paediatric interstitial brachytherapy for rhabdomyosarcoma.

Dr Wong hopes to bring proton and advanced photon radiotherapy to Singapore and the region. 

She published papers on multi-national outcomes of intra-cranial germ cell tumours, head and neck sarcomas, retroperitoneal sarcomas, brain tumours, proton beam therapy for whole-lung irradiation, dyspnea at the end of life, breast phyllodes tumours, breast cancer prognostication and breast cancer socio-demographics and mammogram screening patterns, Human Papilloma Virus vaccination knowledge, attitudes and practice amongst teenagers in Singapore etc.  

She is also in the scientific committee of Particle Therapy Cooperative Group – Asia Oceania.

See google scholar for more research publications.

Grants obtained:

1. Duke-NUS Singhealth Academic Grant Proton Beam Therapy $50, 000 for short-course neoadjuvant radiotherapy in retroperitoneal liposarcomas with margins at risk.
2. Onco-ACP Pediatric Research Grant Proton Beam Therapy $100,000 to utilise electronic patient reported outcomes.
3. Duke-NUS Pediatric Cancer Charity Grant $40,000 to implement open-faced masks, silicon grip rings and investigate adaptive radiotherapy by repeating MRI for brain cancers.

Education:

Dr Wong was clinical teacher at Lee Kong Chian school of medicine, and clinical assistant professor at DUKE-NUS medical school. She also taught medical students and residents and continues to teach oncology nurses. She has organised various webinars and symposiums in the past for local and international faculty. Dr Wong continues to teach oncology nurses and involves radiation therapy students in research projects.