This is a summary of an article featuring Dr Daryl Tan in The Straits Times, Jan 2019.
Stage 4 peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL)
Mr Ho a 55 year old entrepreneur was diagnosed with a rare form of Stage 4 peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), it is a killer as a patient’s survival rate is only 30 per cent at three years from the time of diagnosis, even with conventional Lymphoma treatments such as chemotherapy.
Two-drug Lymphoma treatment prolongs man’s life
With many attempts of chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplant, a clinical trial of a novel two-drug combination was provided. It involved the drugs panobinostat and bortezomib, which were being used for the first time to treat the disease.
Effects of Panobinostat and Bortezomib
Panobinostat blocks the production of histone deacetylase. Bortezomib, on the other hand, blocks the proteasome pathway, which Daryl Tan described as clearing unwanted proteins – in the cell to ensure it continues to live. However, if we use something to block it off, like a lid on the garbage bin, then the cell will be saturated with trash that will eventually kill it. Dr Tan notes that there is an alternate garbage disposal system. But that can be blocked by the drug panobinostat, which is why he thinks the two drugs complement each other.
Meet Our Haematologist
Dr Daryl Tan Chen Lung
MBBS (Singapore), MRCP (UK), MMED (Int Med), FAMS (Haematology)
Dr Daryl Tan is a haematologist in Singapore with clinical interests in lymphoma, multiple myeloma, leukaemia, and other blood disorders. His care includes diagnosis, treatment planning, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.