Dr. Richard Quek: From a Childhood Bandage to a Battling Oncologist
It was a simple, almost magical moment in his childhood that sparked Dr. Quek’s journey toward becoming a cancer doctor. Picture a young boy clutching a painful open sore from eczema, and a dermatologist swoops in with a mischievous grin and a humble gauze bandage.
One Bandage, A Lifetime of Impact
- “Just a wrap and—BAM!—the pain disappeared.” Dr. Quek still chuckles about how that quick fix left a lasting imprint on his mind.
- The experience turned into a cornerstone, reminding him that a doctor’s duty is as much about healing the body as it is about soothing the soul.
The Call to Serve
Beyond prestige, doctors are heroes who say “yes” to others and say “no” to selfishness. That was the heart‑thrust principle that tugged at the young Quek, leading him to the world of medicine.
Turning “Good” Into Practice
Fast forward: Covid‑19 and its viruses threw the world into chaos. Now, with that same spirit, Dr. Quek defends patients battling both the virus and some other nasty cancer conditions. He’s no stranger to the ways viruses—especially HIV, which can upgrade into AIDS—can be a villain in the cancer arena.
Every Day, A New Battle
- All the while: keeping his decisions guided by a blend of science, compassion, and a dash of humor.
- Always ready to deploy a sampling “bandage” of support to anyone who comes his way.
Dr. Quek’s story reminds us that the smallest act of kindness or a quick bandage can set the stage for a life dedicated to healing and fighting. And as we all learn, sometimes the best medicine comes with a smile.
HIV, the Silent Spoiler: How It Opens the Door to Darker Illnesses
It’s not that HIV magically turns a healthy body into a cancer factory, but it does a sneaky sabotage on our immune system. When the virus gets settled, the body’s defenders start acting like a broken alarm system – it’s all over the place.
What Dr Quek Says
- HIV’s main knock‑off: The immune system loses its “pin” and we’re left hanging.
- Opportunistic infections: These are the “special guests” that show up when the doors are left open. Think fungal infections, TB (especially in places where it’s not common), and viral nasties like CMV.
- Think of them as the “AIDS pitch‑fork.” If any of these infections are present, the patient gets officially classified as having AIDS, not just HIV.
Did You Know? HIV and Three Specific Cancers
Even though HIV itself doesn’t cause cancer directly, its weakening of the immune guard lets certain viruses run rampant – and those can push cells into cancer mode.
- Lymphoma – Thanks to Epstein‑Barr Virus (EBV).
- Cervical cancer – A product of Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
- Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) – Driven by Human Herpes Virus‑8 (HHV8).
“We now view these cancers as part of AIDS‑defining illnesses,” Dr Quek explains. “When HIV takes the keys, the immune system drops, the lurking viruses boogie, and cancer decides to show up.”
So, What Happens in the Clinic?
When a patient presents with any of these cancers, the first order of business is a quick HIV check. In the world of health, a good detective pair is HIV testing and symptom observation—time to keep our bodies’ undercover agents on their toes.
Feel free to share this info with friends or family. Knowledge is the best shield!
Virus and Kaposi Sarcoma
Kaposi Sarcoma: The Quiet Killer in the HIV World
Dr. Quek recently shed light on one of the rarer cancers linked to HIV – Kaposi Sarcoma (KS). Let’s break it down in plain talk, with a dash of humor.
What’s Kaposi Sarcoma?
Imagine the skin turning from pink to a deep purplish-red. That’s a typical KS patch. Sometimes it pops up inside your mouth, nose, or throat, or sinks into your lymph nodes. The thing is, it’s super slow‑moving – it grows lazily, which can make it look just like a rash or a weird pigmentation. That’s why folks often skip noticing it at first.
Who’s at Risk?
- HIV patients with a weakened immune system. HIV is often the root cause.
- People with a genetic edge – usually middle‑aged or older men from Mediterranean or Ashkenazi Jewish backgrounds.
In Singapore, KS is a real “silent playmate” – very rare. Even specialists who earn their living studying sarcomas usually see just a handful (or zero) of KS cases a year.
Why “Rare” Is a Double‑Edged Sword
On the bright side, because KS is so uncommon, most people won’t run into it. On the flip side, it means if you do get it, it can be a bit stubborn, and you’ll want to get serious about the next step ASAP.
Treatment: The Power of HAART
If you’re on Highly Active Anti‑Retroviral Therapy (HAART), that’s your first line of defense. Timing matters: you need to hit the HIV meds either right before or alongside any cancer treatment.
- Once your immune system gets a boost from HAART, KS often remits on its own – no extra chemo or radiation needed.
- A healthy immune system also means you’re less likely to catch other opportunistic infections while fighting cancer.
Bottom Line
KS might be a quiet and rare foe, especially for HIV patients. The good news? With timely HAART and a strong immune system, KS can vanish on its own, and treatment side‑effects are minimized. Stay informed, get screened early, and remember: when it comes to health, timing is everything!
Treatment
Living With Both HIV and Cancer: A Two‑Front War
Picture this: you’re fighting two intense battles at once—HIV and a cancer like lymphoma. That’s the reality for many patients, and fortunately, Dr. Quek has some plain‑spoken insight into why it’s so tough.
Two Opponents in One Body
“When we treat an HIV patient with cancer, we’re basically playing a double‑header,” says Dr. Quek. “You’ve got the tumour fighting for the spot on the field and the virus trying to sabotage it from the sidelines.”
Is a Broken Shield the Enemy?
By the time many patients finally walk into the clinic for their three most common AIDS‑defining cancers, their immune system is usually in tatters. It’s like trying to fix a broken car while it’s still on the road—there’s no spare parts, so you have to get creative.
Chemotherapy: A Double‑Edged Sword
We intervene with chemotherapy, but the twist is that those very drugs can further sap the immune system’s strength. Consequently, patients become prime targets for infections that can kill—if you’re not careful!
When the Safe Path Becomes a Danger Zone
Because of these high‑risk infections, we can’t just slap on the same treatment plan that works for non‑AIDS patients. Dr. Quek warns, “If we use a standard protocol, the risk of severe infections—and even death from them—goes sky‑high.”
What’s the Bottom Line?
- HIV + cancer = a double whammy.
- Impaired immunity means chemotherapy can backfire.
- Standard treatments may not cut it; we need tailored, cautious plans.
Bottom line: Treating this duo demands a special blend of precision, tolerance, and a dash of hope. And while the road is difficult, these patients keep fighting with grit and the right medical team beside them.
Building a relationship with patients
Dr Quek on the Journey of Cancer Care
When you grow up in the world of oncology, it’s more than just a job – it’s a long‑term relationship. And that’s exactly what draws people like Dr Quek into the field. He says that every day of treatment feels like a small chapter in a larger story, where the patient and doctor grow together.
The Human Side of Oncology
“Every time we sit down with a patient, a truly human connection blossoms,” Dr Quek explains. “It’s almost like building a friendship over coffee, albeit with much heavier stakes.” He points out that this ongoing dialogue is a constant source of motivation, keeping him fired up to give his best, even when the numbers on the monitor don’t cooperate.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ongoing Momentum
- There are wins that feel like victory dances—patients who beat the expected odds, re‑alive and hopeful.
- There are defeats that hit harder than a missed train—patients who succumb to the disease, leaving a heartbreak that stretches a year, a month, or a day.
- Both moments stay in the corner of his mind, pushing him to keep learning, keep trying, and keep improving.
Dr Quek describes it as a “battlefield” where every casualty fuels the next mission. He humorously notes that, like an enthusiastic trainer, he keeps smashing the “work hard, play harder” motto for the patients who need it most. In his words, “stand‑up comedy isn’t the right genre, but we do have the close‑knit group of patients and doctors who always believe in silence for breakthroughs.
Stubborn Stage 4 Cancer
“We’ll face a telling fact,” he admits. “A lot of patients still endure Stage 4 cancer, even today. That’s the truth—if it’s there, we have to keep chasing it, innovating, learning, healing, and eventually conquering our limits,” the clinician tells you.
If you want to learn about the ways this article takes its calling into everyday practice, we ask you to consult “Parkway Cancer Centre” for the latest medicine.
