• Diagnosed with malignant brain tumour at 4 months old, Yanna Lui underwent surgery, chemotherapy and proton therapy and is now in remission 
• Youngest patient to receive proton therapy at the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre at NCCS when she was 1 year old 
• KKH-NCCS-NNI team’s collaborative, multidisciplinary approach ensured best treatment outcome

Singapore, 27 August 2025 – Diagnosed with ependymoma, a rare type of brain tumour that develops from the ependymal cells lining the brain or spinal cord, Yanna Lui, who turned two years old in April this year, is in remission after completing a year-long intensive treatment consisting of surgery, chemotherapy and proton therapy. Due to Yanna’s young age and the complexity of the brain tumour, she received medical care from a multidisciplinary team of specialists from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and National Neuroscience Institute (NNI), who devised a holistic treatment plan to ensure the best possible treatment outcome and long-term quality of life for Yanna.

Multidisciplinary, cross-institution collaborative effort ensured best possible treatment outcome

In September 2023, Yanna was four months old when she was admitted to the Children’s Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at KKH with limb weakness and a misaligned left eye. Scans showed a 6.7cm tumour, the size of a large plum, was pressing on vital nerves, and biopsy of the tumour revealed it was cancerous. A multidisciplinary medical team consisting of a paediatric medical oncologist from KKH, a neurosurgeon from NNI and radiation oncologist from NCCS came together to devise a treatment plan for Yanna. Within the same month, she underwent surgery to remove about 60% of the tumour but the remaining could not be surgically removed as it was too close to vital nerves. She could not receive radiotherapy at that point as she was still too young. To shrink the remaining tumour and allow her to reach a suitable age for radiotherapy, Yanna received eight cycles of chemotherapy.

After completing chemotherapy, radiotherapy was still required to prevent the remaining tumour from growing. An important consideration when treating childhood tumours are the late-onset side effects that radiation can cause, which can occur months or even years after treatment. The team carefully assessed the options and recommended proton therapy as it would minimise radiation exposure to Yanna’s developing brain and mitigate the risk of late-onset side effects for the growing child. Yanna received 33 sessions of proton therapy at NCCS Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre from July to September 2024.

Following a year of intensive treatment, her cancer is in remission and Yanna is now a bubbly two-year-old toddler who enjoys playing with her friends at the Arc Children’s Centre, a day-care facility for children with cancer and life-threatening illnesses. She goes for regular medical follow-ups to monitor her condition, and is receiving rehabilitation with speech therapy, auditory therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy to help her reach developmental milestones.

“Yanna's case at four months old - a rare brain tumour in a challenging location - required swift, decisive action. Our multidisciplinary team collaborated to create a personalised treatment plan, considering her immediate needs and long-term development. Witnessing her recovery and progress reflects KKH's advanced expertise and care in helping children overcome critical health challenges and thrive throughout their life journey,” said Dr Debbra Chong, Consultant, Haematology/Oncology Service, KKH.

“Yanna’s case was especially challenging because the tumour was very extensive, surrounded many of the lower cranial nerves and significantly compressed the brain stem. The main goal of surgery was to remove enough of the tumour to reduce compression of the brain stem and cerebellum, while keeping blood loss under control. We successfully removed 60% of the tumour including some areas surrounding the nerves, but we had to leave portions that were wrapped around important blood vessels that supplied the brain stem, as damaging them could have caused a brainstem stroke,” said Clinical Associate Professor David Low, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Clinical) & Senior Consultant, Department of Neurosurgery, NNI.

“Young children are particularly vulnerable to late-onset side effects of radiation because their developing tissues and organs are more sensitive, and they have many years ahead for side effects to surface. As Yanna was just an infant when she was diagnosed, proton therapy was recommended to reduce radiation exposure to her developing brain, minimise the risk of late-onset side effects and ensure the best possible treatment outcome. We are glad that the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre at NCCS can offer hope to young patients like Yanna, who would benefit the most from this new treatment modality,” said Clinical Assistant Professor Gail Chua, Consultant, Division of Radiation Oncology, NCCS.

Youngest patient to successfully complete proton therapy at the GCLPTC

Aged 1 when she received proton therapy, Yanna is the youngest patient to complete proton therapy at the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre (GCLPTC) at NCCS. Since it started operations in June 2023, the GCLPTC, which is the only proton therapy facility in Singapore’s public sector, has treated more than 500 patients to date, including 37 young patients aged between 1 to 18 years old.

Proton therapy is an advanced type of radiotherapy that uses protons to target tumours more precisely, potentially reducing damage to nearby healthy tissues and organs and causing less treatment-related side effects. For cancer patients, conventional radiotherapy remains the standard treatment, which is safe and effective for treating most solid cancers. However, for certain cancers located close to vital organs and some childhood cancers and tumours, proton therapy may be recommended to ensure the best treatment outcomes for the patient. Patients need to be at least 1 year old to receive proton therapy at GCLPTC.

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For media queries, please contact:

Ms Mikki Tang
Corporate Communications
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital 
Email: media@kkh.com.sg

Ms Cheryl Sng
Corporate Communications
National Cancer Centre Singapore 
Email: cheryl.sng.x.p@nccs.com.sg

Ms Margaret Perry
Communications
National Neuroscience Institute 
Email: Margaret_Ellen_Perry@nni.com.sg

About KK Women's and Children's Hospital

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) is Singapore’s largest tertiary referral centre for obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics and neonatology. The academic medical centre specialises in the management of high-risk conditions in women and children.

Driven by a commitment to deliver compassionate, multidisciplinary care to patients, KKH leverages research and innovation to advance care. In 2021, the hospital launched the SingHealth Duke-NUS Maternal and Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) to support the growth of every woman and child to their fullest potential, and transform national heath in Singapore and the region.

Some of the hospital’s breakthroughs include uSINE®, a landmark identification system for the administration of spinal epidural, the discovery of new genetic diseases like Jamuar Syndrome, and a series of guidelines for women and children to improve population health in the region.

The academic medical centre is also a major teaching hospital for Duke-NUS Medical School, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. In addition, KKH runs the largest specialist training programme for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Paediatrics in Singapore.

Founded in 1858, KKH marked its centenary as a maternity hospital, and welcomed its 1.6 millionth baby in 2024. For more information, visit www.kkh.com.sg

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About the National Cancer Centre Singapore

The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) is a leading national and regional tertiary cancer centre dedicated to advancing cancer care, research and education. With a comprehensive suite of specialties and services, NCCS treats all cancers and offers personalised and multidisciplinary care to ensure that patients receive holistic, compassionate care and support. Advanced and innovative treatments such as proton therapy at the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre, immunotherapy, and cell therapy are available at NCCS to give patients the best treatment outcomes.

Ranked among the top cancer centres in Asia, NCCS is globally recognised for its research expertise, with clinicians and scientists collaborating with local and international partners to conduct cutting-edge clinical and translational research that makes a real impact and offers hope of a cancer-free tomorrow. As an academic healthcare institution, NCCS is committed to nurturing future generations by delivering specialised training to local and overseas oncology healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.nccs.com.sg.

About the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI)

The National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) is the national specialist and regional centre for conditions of the brain, spine, nerve and muscles, including stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumour and brain injuries. Committed to improving patients’ lives, NNI aims to shape neuroscience for a better tomorrow through innovation, research and education.

NNI operates out of 7 hospitals in Singapore – Changi General Hospital (CGH), KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and Woodlands Health (WH).

NNI is a member of the Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) – a public healthcare cluster which manages four hospitals, five specialty centres, eight polyclinics and a network of community hospitals – and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre.

For more information, visit www.nni.com.sg.