Together we are bigger than cancer
Varian Medical Systems
DIGITAL REPORT 2021
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Together we are bigger than cancer WRITTEN BY
LEILA HAWKINS PRODUCED BY
KRISTOFER PALMER
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VA R I A N M E D I C A L S Y S T E M S
Kenneth Daniel Tan, President of the Asia Pacific-Japan region at Varian Medical Systems, discusses innovative cancer care and Varian’s vision of a world without cancer
H
ealthcare has always been Kenneth Tan’s calling. Having studied biotechnology, he worked in the pharmaceutical and
medical device sectors before moving into oncol04
ogy, a field that is particularly important to him since losing his mother to cancer in 2002. He describes her journey through cancer treatment as filled with uncertainties and fear both for her and for Kenneth and his family. As a result, when he had an opportunity to join Varian Medical Systems, their vision for creating a world without fear of cancer particularly resonated. “I immediately wanted to be part of this fight to beat cancer” he says. “It’s such a clear and simple vision”. “In the future, I believe the approach we take with many types of cancer will be the same approach we take with any chronic illness nowadays – screen early, diagnose early, and treat early so patients can continue to live a high quality of life. We believe
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VA R I A N M E D I C A L S Y S T E M S
“ The approach we take with cancer is the same approach we take with any chronic illness like hypertension - diagnose early, screen early, and treat early so patients can continue to live a high quality life” Indeed, some experts predict — Kenneth Tan, President – Asia Pacific & Japan, Varian Medical Systems
that by 2050 cancer will be a manageable chronic disease just like diabetes and hypertension so that a cancer diagnosis will no longer hold
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that’s possible, and with that possibility
the fear it does today. Additionally,
the fear disappears because from the
treatment is becoming more sophis-
patient and family’s point of view, there
ticated thanks to rapidly advancing
will be treatment options available that
technology. “Cancer care is becom-
improves survivability.”
ing more “intelligent” with the use of biomarkers, personalized drugs, precision radiotherapy and proton therapy, and targeted immunotherapy” Kenneth says.
07 An example of this is Adaptive
“Our advanced radiotherapy tech-
Intelligence™, which combines
nologies can make treatments more
artificial intelligence and adaptive
efficient and shorter, benefitting both
radiotherapy. Adaptive therapy
clinicians and patients” Kenneth says.
creates a personalized treatment
“Both our hardware and software
strategy guided by details about the
ecosystems enable clinicians to
patient’s internal anatomy and treat-
plan treatment remotely – this has
ment response.
been particularly valuable over the
This AI-driven adaptive therapy
past year due to COVID-19 where in-
solution can deliver an entire adapted
person consultations and treatment
treatment to the targeted tumour within
has been restricted.
a 15-minute timeslot, reducing the
“By the adoption of big data and
dosage of radiation to healthy tissue.
artificial intelligence, we will be able
AI-adapted plans have shown to be bet-
to deliver better outcomes for cancer
ter than conventional scheduled plans.
patients. We are using software and w w w.va ri a n . com
VA R I A N M E D I C A L S Y S T E M S
automated processes to help oncology
“With ICC, we will have the ability to
professionals globally collaborate and
integrate all our software and patient
develop more precise and personal-
insights in the cloud so that caregivers
ized cancer treatments, making cancer
anywhere in the world can access the
care easier to manage and deliver.”
latest information and deliver more
This is how Varian envisions
accurate treatments. Our technol-
Intelligent Cancer Care (ICC), which
ogy platforms bring different teams
combines people, data, and technol-
together, from surgical, medical,
ogy to deliver bespoke patient care.
radiation and interventional oncology, resulting in a team approach that offers the best care for each patient.” Intelligent Cancer Care enables a truly multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer, which is one of the most complex diseases to manage. “All too often, the care that a patient receives is determined by the first point of interaction with the health
“ Intelligent Cancer Care will democratize personalized care, augment and amplify the clinical caregiver and empower the patient as a stakeholder in his or her care” — Kenneth Tan, President – Asia Pacific & Japan, Varian Medical Systems
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :
Kenneth Tan Title: President – Asia Pacific & Japan Industry: Medical Device
Location: Singapore
Science has been integral to Kenneth Tan’s life from a very young age. Biology and Chemistry captured his curiosity because of their relevance to daily life, and at the age of 19 he graduated with a Diploma in Biotechnology, served two and a half years of full-time National Service in the Singapore Police Force, and then went on to complete a degree in Business Administration. He describes healthcare as his “calling”. “Few people are blessed to be in careers that allow them to apply their academic knowledge in what they do daily; I have not looked back since I started my first job as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative selling cardiovascular drugs,” he says. After this he moved into MedTech, joining Boston Scientific just when Drug-Eluting Stents were about to revolutionize cardiology. Following this, he joined Covidien, who was a leader in surgical instruments; their technology drove the widespread adoption of minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery. Covidien was acquired by Medtronic in 2014, and Kenneth served as the Managing Director of their Thailand and Indochina business before joining Varian in January 2017. “In my 20-year career, I have lived and worked in many countries and I have learnt that ethical, fair, kind and transparent leadership transcends boundaries; be it language or culture.” he says. “The power of diverse teams is undisputed; we unlock this power when everyone is made to feel included as an equal.” At Varian, he encourages teams to go out and inspire all cancer care-providers to treat as many patients as possible with the best quality care possible. “I call this ‘Inspiring Customer Success’. We are only successful when our care-providers are successful at delivering the best possible care to the cancer patients they serve in their communities.” “Everything we do at Varian is driven by our vision, mission and culture, which includes a strong belief in people coming together and taking care of each other to achieve the company’s objectives. We put the patient at the centre of everything we do, and we measure our success by the number of cancer patients’ lives touched annually.”
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VA R I A N M E D I C A L S Y S T E M S
“ We put the patient at the centre of everything we do, and we measure our success by the number of cancer patients’ lives touched annually” — Kenneth Tan, President – Asia Pacific & Japan, Varian Medical Systems
-system after being diagnosed with cancer,” Kenneth says. “Specialists working together can use the latest clinical evidence to determine the best course of
1948
Year founded
$3.2bn+ Revenue in US dollars (2019)
10,000 Number of employees
11 Another key aspect of Intelligent Cancer Care is ensuring that patients are active participants in sharing information and making treatment decisions. By sharing their information, not only will they benefit themselves, but they will also contribute to better clinical outcomes for other cancer treatment for the patient. We are already seeing how the accelerated adoption
patients.� Kenneth says. “In the future, we will see a prolifera-
of software systems and solutions are is
tion of patient tools that allow them
helping us move away from fragmented
to become more active and engaged
care and enableing treatment centres,
members of the care team. These
research institutions and practices to
digital tools will enable more remote-
work together to provide more inte-
care, also known as ambulatory
grated, multidisciplinary cancer care.�
care, and less in-patient care. A recent w w w.va ri a n . com
VA R I A N M E D I C A L S Y S T E M S
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McKinsey article highlighted that ambu-
Perhaps most persuasively, costs to
latory care is often perceived as more
both patients and payers can be signifi-
intimate than in- hospital care, giving
cantly less in ambulatory care.�
patients a greater sense of personalized care and contact with their care team.
Kenneth says the biggest advances in cancer treatment are around early
“ This future will be for leaders who do the impossible, attempt the miracle and at the same time; learn it all” — Kenneth Tan, President – Asia Pacific & Japan, Varian Medical Systems
and risk-stratify patient populations, improving treatment planning and predicting treatment outcomes. “Over the past decade we have also
diagnosis, for which technology is a
witnessed an explosion in big data,
crucial enabler. “The potential impact
particularly in our ability to collect and
of early diagnosis will have on treat-
analyze vast amounts of data points.
ment outcomes and survival will be
Our success in turning that data into
transformative. Artificial intelligence
useful decision support tools for physi-
and machine learning have both been
cians and patients will determine the
shown to improve the early detec-
degree to which we can transform
tion of cancer by more accurately
cancer care over the next 30 years.”
identifying at-risk patients, improving
“At Varian, we aim to lead the way
diagnostic test sensitivity and specific-
in integrated, multidisciplinary can-
ity, accelerating our ability to screen
cer care. “Intelligent Cancer Care will democratize personalized care, augment and amplify the clinical caregiver and empower the patient as a stakeholder in his or her care.” Kenneth concluded.
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