Dr Johann Tang – Radiation Oncologist in Singapore

Aside from being an experienced radiation oncologist in Singapore, Dr Tang is passionately involved in education. He is currently the co-chair of the Euro Asia Breast Brachytherapy School, part of the teaching faculty of the Australian Paediatric Radiation Oncology Group, and is an external examiner in radiation oncology to the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons. Besides being the former Research Director at National University Hospital Radiation Department, Dr Tang actively mentored resident radiation doctors, authored various publications, and was a referee for several international journals. Dr Tang has also won several research prizes and was also a holder of several research grants.

Dr Tang is also credentialed in

• 3D Conformal External Beam Radiotherapy (3D CRT)
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
• Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT)
• Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
• Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
• Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)
• Paediatric Radiotherapy
• Breast brachytherapy or Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI)
• Gynaecology (cervix and endometrial) brachytherapy
• Prostate brachytherapy

Professional Affiliations

• Registered with the Singapore Medical Council (08768H)
• Registered with the Singapore Specialist Accreditation Board (Radiation Oncology)
• Registered with the Australian Medical Board (MED0001183963)
• Member of the Singapore Medical Association
• Member of the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS)
• Member of European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ESTRO)
• Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (Radiation Oncology)
• Fellow and Faculty of Radiation Oncology Council Member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist (FRANZCR – Radiation Oncology)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore
• Associate Editor, Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology

Dr Tang served on numerous international committees for radiation oncologists. Some of these include being elected as a Council Member for the Faculty of Radiation Oncology Council, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist (RANZCR), Member of the Paediatric Steering Advisory Committee to RANZCR, Associate Editor of Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology (JMIRO), Vice President of the Chapter of Radiation Oncologist, Academy of Medicine Singapore, and Executive Member of the Singapore Society of Oncology. Apart from his dedication to providing effective treatments as a radiation doctor, Dr Tang also believes in promoting medical education to other radiation oncologists for the continuous development of radiotherapy in Singapore and overseas.

Awards and Prizes

• 7/2009- 8/2009. Awarded the Ministry of Health, Human Manpower Development Programme (MOH HMDP) for “development of a comprehensive breast cancer brachytherapy programme” at University of Wisconsin, USA
• 1/2005- 7/2005. Awarded the Ministry of Health, Human Manpower Development Programme (MOH HMDP) for “training in Prostate and Skin cancer” at Peter Maccallum Cancer Institute Radiation Oncology Centre, Australia
• Awarded the Blackwell Wiley Best Poster Prize. “Patient Preference for Radiotherapy Fractionation Schedule in the Palliation of Symptomatic Unresectable Lung Cancer.” Tang JI, Back M, Shakespeare T, Lu JJ, Mukherjee R, Wynne C, Liang S. Presented at the 57rd Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist Annual Scientific Meeting, Singapore.
• Awarded the Novartis Best Breast Cancer Research Oral Presentation Prize. “To Compare Dosimetric Outcomes Using a Volume Based Template Approach and Non-Template Ultrasound Guidance Freehand Approach in Women undergoing Multicatheter Interstitial Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation” JI Tang, PW Tan, YI Tan, SA Buhari Presented at the 61st Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist Annual Scientific Meeting, Perth.

Key Clinical Appointments

Current Employment (1st Jan 2019 till now) Senior Consultant and Medical Director of ME Novena Specialist Group Pte Ltd at Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

1 Jan 2014 – 31st Dec 2018: National University Hospital (NUH) Position: Senior Consultant in Radiation Oncology Key Appointments

• Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
• Faculty Council Member for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist
• Department of Radiation Oncology Research Director
• Vice President of Chapter of Radiation Oncology, Academy of Medicine Singapore
• Co Chair of Euro Asia Breast Brachytherapy School
• Key Opinion Leader for Elekta on Breast Brachytherapy
• Member of the Paediatric Steering Advisory Committee to Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist (Radiation Oncology)
• Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist (Radiation Oncology) Paediatric Oncology Teaching Faculty
• Committee member of the Singapore Society of Oncology (SSO)

1 Jan 2009 – Dec 2013: National University Hospital (NUH) Position: Consultant in Radiation Oncology Key Appointments:

• Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Appointed since 2010
• Department of Radiation Oncology Research Director
• Site PI for RTOG clinical trials
• National Cancer Institute of Singapore Training and Education committee chairperson
• NUH GP forum executive member
• Trans-Tasman Research Oncology Group Singapore Representative
• Lecturer for Radiation Therapist at Nanyang Polytechnique
• Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologist (Radiation Oncology) Paediatric Oncology Interest Group Committee Member

Dr Tang has vast number of years of clinical experience in Radiation Oncology and is fluent in English, Mandarin, Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia, Cantonese and Hokkien. He has taken care of patients from many regional and overseas regions including Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Russia.

Clinical Highlights/Achievements:

• Planning and development of new clinical service “Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation for early stage breast cancer”. Currently, NUHS is the 1st institution in South East Asia to offer such treatment. Have presented and published results showing equivalence to major American and European academic medical centres. Have conducted several teaching courses on Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018). Recognised key opinion leader of APBI.
• Planned and developed Department Radiation Oncology Treatment Protocol (3rd Ed, 2008)
• Developed and drove the Gynaeoncology brachytherapy programme for 3D brachytherapy in cervical and endometrial carcinoma. Pioneered Outpatient Interstitial cervical brachytherapy as a routine clinical practice. Currently NUHS is the only centre in Singapore to offer Advanced Outpatient 3D Imaged Guided Interstitial Cervical Brachytherapy. Have presented and published results which are comparable to major USA and European centres.
• Enhanced the paediatric oncology service by offering more streamline care for radiation therapy service by improved waiting times, non-use of anaesthesia through play therapy and formation of a specialized core of radiation therapist for paediatrics

Invited Speaker:

• Invited Speaker for Annual Federation of Asian Radiation Oncology (FARO) meeting 2016, 2018
• Invited Speaker Bangladesh Oncology Club Meeting, 2015,2017
• Invited Speaker for the Chinese Association of Brachytherapy 2017
• Invited Speaker for the Chinese Gynae-oncology Meeting 2016,2017
• Invited Speaker for the World Congress of Brachytherapy on Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation, 2016
• Invited Speaker for the Chinese Seed and Brachytherapy Meeting 2016
• Invited Speaker for Asia Pacific Interventional Radiology (APIVR) 2014 for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation
• Invited Speaker for BrachyNEXT 2014 for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation
• Invited Speaker for ELEKTA Educational Symposium 2014 for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation
• Invited Speaker for Singapore Radiological Society Meeting 2012 for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation
• Invited Speaker for Société Internationale d’Oncologie Pédiatrique (SIOP) Teaching Course 2011 for Wilms Tumour
• Invited Speaker for 1st Asia Pacific Breast Cancer Symposium 2011
• Invited Speaker of Asian Breast Diseases Association for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation 2011
• Plenary Speaker for Indian Brachytherapy Meeting, 2010: Brachytherapy 2010 and beyond. New Delhi, India
• 2nd National Breast Conference Meeting, Hue, Vietnam 2009. “Advances in radiation treatment for Breast Cancer”
• Guest speaker at Sabah GP meeting, Sabah 2008. “Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation- new developments in breast cancer treatment”
• Guest speaker for Singapore Cancer Society at various community events
• Faculty for the RANZCR Paediatric Course for 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017

Examiners:

• Invited External Examiner in Radiation Oncology for the College of Radiologist, Bangladesh.
• Examiner for Undergraduate Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore.

Journal Reviewer:

• Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology
• Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy

Dr Tang is recognised as an experienced radiation oncologist in Singapore. He is accredited for 3D Conformal External Beam Radiotherapy (3D CRT), Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), Paediatric Radiotherapy, Breast brachytherapy or Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI), Gynaecology (cervix and endometrial) interstitial image-guided brachytherapy, and Prostate brachytherapy.

Publications

1. PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH DOCTOR-PATIENT INTERACTION IN A RADIOTHERAPY CENTER DURING THE SARS OUTBREAK.TANG JI, SHAKESPEARE TP, ZHANG XJ, LU JJ, LIANG S, WYNNE CJ, MUKHERJEE RK, BACK MF.Australas Radiol. 2005 AUG;49(4):304-11.
2. INTERPRETING THE IMPROVED OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM METASTASES MANAGED IN CLINCIAL TRIALS COMPARED WITH STANDARD HOSPITAL PRACTICE TANG JI, BACK M, SHAKESPEARE T, LU JJ, MUKHERJEE R, WYNNE C, LIANG S. Australas Radiol. 2005 Oct;49(5):390-5
3. A PROSPECTIVE DOSE ESCALATION TRIAL OF HIGH-DOSE-RATE BRACHYTHERAPY BOOST FOR PROSTATE CANCER: EVIDENCE OF HYPOFRACTIONATION EFFICACY? TANG JI, WILLIAMS SG, TAI KH, DEAN J, DUCHESNE GM. Brachytherapy. 2006 OCTDEC;5(4):256-61
4. EFFICACY OF AN INTEGRATED CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (QI) PROGRAM ON RADIATION ONCOLOGIST (RO) CLINICAL PRACTICE. Leong CN, Shakespeare TP, Mukherjee RK, Back MF, Lee KM, Lu JJ, Wynne CJ, Lim K, Tang J, Zhang X. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006 Dec 1;66(5):1457-60
5. DOES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY OUTPATIENT INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES ADVERSELY AFFECT PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH DOCTOR-PATIENT INTERACTION? SHAKESPEARE TP, TANG JI, SHEN L, LU JJ, MUKHERJEE RK, LEE KM, WYNNE CJ, BACK MF. Singapore Med J. 2007 Mar;48(3):246-51.
6. PATIENT PREFERENCE FOR RADIOTHERAPY FRACTIONATION SCHEDULE IN THE PALLIATION OF SYMPTOMATIC UNRESECTABLE LUNG CANCER. JI TANG, MICHAEL BACK, THOMAS SHAKESPEARE, JIADE J. LU, RAHUL MUKHERJEE. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2008 Oct;52(5):497-502
7. INFLUENCE OF THE WAY RESULTS ARE PRESENTED ON RESEARCH INTERPRETATION AND MEDICAL DECISION MAKING: THE PRIMER COLLABORATION RANDOMIZED STUDIES. Shakespeare TP, Gebski V, Tang J, Lim K, Lu JJ, Zhang X, Jiang G. Med Decis Making. 2008 Jan-Feb;28(1):127-37.
8. BMI AND PATIENTS’ CT MEASUREMENTS AS A PREDICTOR OF BENEFIT OF IMRT FOR RADIOTHERAPY OF THE SUPRACLAVICULAR FOSSA Koh V, Tang JI, Choo BA, Tan CW, Lim BK, Shen L, Lu JJ. Onco Targets Ther. 2013 Nov 21;6:1701-6.
9. ADJUVANT RADIOTHERAPY FOR ENDOMETRIAL CANCER–A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF RADIOTHERAPY TECHNIQUE WITH ACUTE TOXICITY. Koh YV, Tang JI, Choo BA, Koh MS, Lee KM. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2014;35(2):128-33.
10. MULTI-CATHETER INTERSTITIAL ACCELERATED PARTIAL BREAST IRRADIATION – TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A GOOD INSERTION.Tang JI, Tan PW, Koh VY, Buhari SA. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2014 Mar;6(1):85-90
11. COMPARING A VOLUME BASED TEMPLATE APPROACH AND ULTRASOUND GUIDED FREEHAND APPROACH IN MULTICATHETER INTERSTITIAL ACCELERATED PARTIAL BREAST IRRADIATION. Koh VY, Buhari SA, Tan PW, Tan YI, Leong YF, Earnest A, Tang JI. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2014 Jun;6(2):173-7
12. OUTPATIENT COMBINED INTRACAVITARY AND INTERSTITIAL CERVICAL BRACHYTHERAPY: BARRIERS AND SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENTATION OF A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMME – A SINGLE INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCE. Tan PW, Koh VY, Tang JI. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2015 Jun;7(3):259-63.
13. ASSESSING RADIATION EXPOSURE OF THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY, HEART AND LUNG IN PATIENTS WITH LEFT BREAST CANCER: A DOSIMETRIC COMPARISON BETWEEN MULTICATHETER ACCELERATED PARTIAL BREAST IRRADIATION AND WHOLE BREAST EXTERNAL BEAM RADIOTHERAPY. Chan TY, Tan PW, Tan CW, Tang JI. Radiother Oncol. 2015 Dec;117(3):459-66
14. ACCELERATED PARTIAL BREAST IRRADIATION IN AN ASIAN POPULATION: DOSIMETRIC FINDINGS AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A MULTICATHETER INTERSTITIAL PROGRAM. Koh YV, Tan PW, Buhari SA, Iau P, Chan CW, Shen L, Tan SH, Tang JI. ONCO TARGETS THER. 2016 SEP 8;9:5561-6.
15. PROTON THERAPY FOR EARLY STAGE PROSTATE CANCER: IS THERE A CASE? Chan TY, Tan PW, Tang JI. ONCO TARGETS THER. 2016 SEP 9;9:5577-86.
16. FEASIBILITY STUDY OF TOXICITY OUTCOMES USING GEC-ESTRO CONTOURING GUIDELINES ON CT BASED INSTEAD OF MRI-BASED PLANNING IN LOCALLY ADVANCED CERVICAL CANCER PATIENTS. Koh V, Choo BA, Lee KM, Tan TH, Low JH, Ng SY, Ilancheran A, Shen L, Tang J. BRACHYTHERAPY. 2017 JAN – FEB;16(1):126-132
17. INTENSITY-MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY FOR EARLY-STAGE BREAST CANCER: IS IT READY FOR PRIME TIME? Chan TY, Tan PW, Tang JI. BREAST CANCER. 2017 MAR 20;9:177-183.
18. NOVEL ANESTHETIC TECHNIQUE FOR COMBINED INTRACAVITARY AND INTERSTITIAL BRACHYTHERAPY FOR CERVIX CANCER IN AN OUTPATIENT SETTING. Leong YH, Tan KHS, Choo BA, Koh VY, Tang JI. J CONTEMP BRACHYTHERAPY. 2017 JUN;9(3):236-241.