CANCER treatment will be just a stroll or a short bus ride away for people in Bedok by early next year, when Singapore's first heartland cancer treatment centre opens.

It is likely to occupy half the void deck of Block 28, New Upper Changi Road. The project is a joint effort between the National Cancer Centre and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). If it proves successful, more centres will spring up at other dense population areas such as Sengkang and Woodlands. The move to offer chemotherapy and other basic treatments beyond the National Cancer Centre in Outram will bring considerable savings, as well as ease the centre's load.

Its head of medical oncology, Dr Koo Wen Hsin, said that converting the void deck of a block of flats was cheaper than building more clinic space at the Outram centre, which is bursting at its seams.

Creating a network of centres will also cut travel time for patients, he added.

The centre, expected to be ready by the first quarter, will be staffed by doctors and nurses from the cancer centre, ensuring that the quality of patient care will not be compromised.

Dr Koo said that as many as half of the 100 to 150 patients the centre sees each day can be treated in a community setting.

Even if only 10 per cent were to use the Bedok branch, the centre at Outram would have an easier time. At the moment, it is running clinics into the night to cope with the rising demand.

'The number of new cancer cases has increased over the years, from just under 200 a month in 2000 to about 270 a month today,' Dr Koo said.

Patients too are likely to have a shorter wait at the Bedok branch, which will provide chemotherapy treatment to between six and 15 patients a day.

Their treatments will last from 30 minutes to two hours. Those who need longer treatment would still be seen at the Outram centre.

The upcoming branch will also provide simple treatments such as draining and cleaning a cancer wound to about 20 to 30 patients a day.

Dr Koo said there are also plans to provide home care to very weak patients, who may otherwise have to call for an ambulance for their visit to a doctor.

The centre has started training more oncology nurses to provide this home care service in the East.

Aside from clinical treatment, the Bedok branch will be seeking volunteers from the nearby community centre to help with education to increase awareness of cancer screening and treatment.

Dr Koo said the move to Bedok is primarily to 'push the service nearer home, demystify cancer and reach out to the heartlanders.'

The NKF, which gave the money for the setting up of the Bedok branch, is also looking at whether it can subsidise patients who need, but can't afford, more expensive treatment than that provided under subsidised care.

Such treatment, which can improve chances of survival by as much as 20 per cent, could cost 10 times the price of basic chemotherapy drugs, Dr Koo said.