Episode 127 - Real World Data and the Use of Medicines to treat Cancer with Dr Monica Tang [Medicines Series]
Update: 2025-06-19
Description
In this episode, we speak with Dr Monica Tang, a medical oncologist at the Prince of Wales Hospital and researcher at the University of New South Wales. Monica shares her clinical and academic journey, highlighting how her experience with patients and real-world data is reshaping cancer care in Australia.
She discusses her specialisation in breast cancer treatment and the collaborative approach taken by multidisciplinary teams. These teams, comprising surgeons, radiation oncologists, pharmacists, pathologists, and psychologists work together to tailor care based on each patient’s diagnosis and needs.
Monica also explains the critical differences between curable and treatable cancers, demystifying terms like metastatic disease. She stresses that while not all cancers are curable, many can be treated long-term with excellent quality of life.
A key focus of the episode is her research on cancer survivorship. Through patient-reported outcomes and health economic data, Monica explores the challenges patients face after treatment, including persistent symptoms, reduced income, and unmet support needs.
She also champions the role of real-world data to complement clinical trials, offering a more accurate picture of how treatments work outside controlled environments.
This episode is a powerful reminder that life after cancer deserves just as much attention as diagnosis and treatment.
You can read more about Monica and her work here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Monica-Tang-3
As always, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can contact us at: meaningofhealth@outlook.com
Instagram Twitter/X Bluesky @healthmeanswhat
FaceBook @MeaningofHealth
Or visit our website: www.meaningofhealth.com.au
She discusses her specialisation in breast cancer treatment and the collaborative approach taken by multidisciplinary teams. These teams, comprising surgeons, radiation oncologists, pharmacists, pathologists, and psychologists work together to tailor care based on each patient’s diagnosis and needs.
Monica also explains the critical differences between curable and treatable cancers, demystifying terms like metastatic disease. She stresses that while not all cancers are curable, many can be treated long-term with excellent quality of life.
A key focus of the episode is her research on cancer survivorship. Through patient-reported outcomes and health economic data, Monica explores the challenges patients face after treatment, including persistent symptoms, reduced income, and unmet support needs.
She also champions the role of real-world data to complement clinical trials, offering a more accurate picture of how treatments work outside controlled environments.
This episode is a powerful reminder that life after cancer deserves just as much attention as diagnosis and treatment.
You can read more about Monica and her work here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Monica-Tang-3
As always, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can contact us at: meaningofhealth@outlook.com
Instagram Twitter/X Bluesky @healthmeanswhat
FaceBook @MeaningofHealth
Or visit our website: www.meaningofhealth.com.au
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