Dr Lim Hong Liang — Medical Oncologist (Lung Cancer) in Singapore

Dr Lim Hong Liang is a senior consultant medical oncologist at Parkway Cancer Centre in Singapore, with a listed special interest in lung cancers and head and neck cancers.

Earlier in his career he headed the Thoracic Oncology Service and the Head and Neck Service at the National University Hospital and later served as chief of its department of haematology and oncology. He was also the lead medical oncologist at the Lung Tumour Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Clinical focus

Medical oncology — lung cancer.

Qualifications (as publicly listed)

MBBS (Singapore), M.Med (Internal Medicine), FAMS (Medical Oncology).

Where they practise

• Clinic / practice: Parkway Cancer Centre (see our clinic listing) — Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Orchard
• Hospital / training affiliation(s): Mount Elizabeth Hospital; formerly National University Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Getting to the clinic

Dr Lim Hong Liang practises at Parkway Cancer Centre, located at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre in the Orchard area. The nearest train station is Orchard MRT (NS22 on the North-South Line and TE14 on the Thomson-East Coast Line). From the station, a short walk through the Orchard shopping belt — sheltered for much of the way, with lifts and escalators — brings you to the medical centre beside Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

Orchard Road is served by many bus routes, so buses are a convenient option, and taxis or ride-hailing services can set you down at the medical centre’s drop-off point, which helps if you are tired or unwell during treatment. The Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre has a paid visitor carpark for those who drive, and spaces can fill during clinic hours, so allow extra time. On a first visit, arrive early to register and complete any paperwork, and confirm the exact suite when you book.

What lung cancer medical oncology covers

Medical oncology uses medicines to treat cancer throughout the body. Dr Lim’s listed special interest is lung cancers and head and neck cancers, and earlier in his career he headed the Thoracic Oncology Service and the Head and Neck Service at the National University Hospital and led the Lung Tumour Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. For lung cancer, systemic treatment options have grown to include targeted therapy and immunotherapy alongside chemotherapy, often selected according to the tumour’s molecular features.

Lung cancer is staged and treated according to its type and how far it has spread, and treatment is frequently coordinated with surgeons and radiation oncologists. Head and neck cancers similarly involve combined approaches, where systemic treatment may be given alongside surgery or radiotherapy.

What to expect at a consultation

A first consultation usually involves a careful review of your diagnosis, scans, biopsy and pathology results, and any treatment so far, along with a history of your symptoms, smoking history, other conditions and medicines. The doctor will examine you and explain the type and stage of the cancer. Further tests, such as additional imaging, blood tests or molecular profiling of the tumour, may be recommended to guide treatment choice.

The oncologist will then discuss the aims and options for treatment, including likely benefits, side effects and schedule, and how systemic treatment fits with any surgery or radiotherapy. There is usually time for questions and to involve family before any decisions are made.

Preparing for your appointment

It helps to bring:

• Photo identification and any GP, polyclinic or specialist referral letter.
• Relevant scans, biopsy and pathology reports, and previous treatment summaries.
• A full list of current medicines and supplements with doses.
• A written timeline of your symptoms, including cough, breathlessness or weight change.
• Details of your smoking history, which is relevant to lung cancer care.
• A list of questions, and ideally someone to accompany you.

After your consultation and follow-up

After the consultation you will usually receive a treatment plan or a list of tests to complete first. Treatment is monitored at follow-up with examinations, blood tests and scans to check response and manage side effects. Lung and head and neck cancer care is multidisciplinary, so referrals to surgeons, radiation oncologists or supportive services may be arranged. Continuity of care matters, and a second opinion is reasonable. Seek urgent help for fever during treatment, coughing up blood, severe breathlessness or any red-flag symptom your team has described.

Booking, referrals and fees

As a private specialist, Dr Lim can usually be seen without a referral, though a referral letter helps with background and with subsidy eligibility at public clinics. For eligible treatments and procedures, MediSave, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans may apply within set limits, while consultations are generally out of pocket. Cancer treatment costs vary, so confirm fees and insurance coverage directly with the clinic before starting.

Common questions

Is all lung cancer treated with chemotherapy?

Not always. Depending on the tumour type and molecular features, options may include targeted therapy or immunotherapy, sometimes alongside or instead of chemotherapy.

Why is molecular profiling important in lung cancer?

Profiling looks for specific changes in the tumour that can be matched with targeted treatments, helping tailor therapy to the individual cancer.

Will I need surgery or radiotherapy as well?

Possibly. Lung and head and neck cancers are often managed by a multidisciplinary team, combining systemic treatment with surgery or radiotherapy depending on the stage.

Does smoking history affect treatment?

Your smoking history is relevant background, but treatment is chosen based on the cancer type, stage and molecular features, alongside your overall health and wishes.

How lung cancer treatment has become more individualised

Lung cancer treatment has changed considerably, and the choice of medicine now depends heavily on the specific characteristics of the tumour rather than its location alone. Testing a sample of the cancer for particular molecular changes can reveal whether a targeted therapy, which acts on a specific feature of the tumour, is likely to help. Other tests can indicate whether immunotherapy, which works with the body’s immune system, may be appropriate. Where these are not suitable, chemotherapy remains an important option. This is why a biopsy and detailed tumour analysis often precede a firm treatment plan, and why two people with lung cancer may be offered quite different treatments. The aim is to match therapy to the individual tumour rather than treat every case the same way.

The role of the multidisciplinary team

Lung and head and neck cancers are frequently managed by a team rather than a single doctor. A medical oncologist such as Dr Lim works alongside surgeons, radiation oncologists, pathologists and supportive-care services, and treatment may combine medicines with surgery or radiotherapy depending on the stage. For patients, this means decisions are often discussed across specialties, and it helps to keep your reports and scans together and to know who is coordinating your overall care so you have a clear point of contact between visits.

Related guides

• Cancer warning signs
• Cancer treatment cost

Sources & verification

• Parkway Cancer Centre – Dr Lim Hong Liang

See also: our editorial directory of cancer specialists (oncologists & haematologists) in Singapore and our shortlist of oncology clinics.

This is an independent, factual profile compiled from the public sources listed above — not a paid listing, advertisement or endorsement. Details can change; always verify a doctor’s current registration on the Singapore Medical Council public register and confirm specifics directly with the clinic. This page is general information, not medical advice or a recommendation of any individual practitioner. See our editorial policy.