A Closer Look at Dr Chong Chee Keong’s Work as a General Surgeon in Singapore

General surgery covers the assessment and surgical treatment of conditions affecting different parts of the body. For patients dealing with cancer-related concerns, a general surgeon can be involved at various points along the way — from diagnosis and surgical planning to tumour removal, lymph node assessment, post-operative care, and working alongside other members of the medical team.
 

Dr Chong Chee Keong is a general surgeon in Singapore whose work includes breast and colorectal cancer surgery. He sees patients at Maven Surgery and holds the qualifications MBBS (Singapore), FRCS (Edinburgh), FRCS (Glasgow), and FAMS (Singapore). He also holds Specialist Accreditation in Intensive Care Medicine from the Specialists Accreditation Board.

Breast and Colorectal Surgery as Part of His Practice

Dr Chong's practice covers breast, colorectal, and general surgical conditions, with a particular focus on breast and colorectal cancer care.
 

When you come in for a general surgery consultation, the appointment will generally involve going through your symptoms and any test results you may have, talking about whether surgery is needed, and giving you a clearer picture of what to expect before and after a procedure. Every patient's journey is a little different depending on the diagnosis, medical history, and the treatment plan that has been put in place.

Breast Cancer Surgery

Breast cancer surgery is usually considered after a patient has gone through clinical assessment, imaging, and a biopsy. The type of surgery that may be recommended depends on several things — including the size and location of the tumour, the type of cancer, whether the lymph nodes are affected, the patient's overall health, and what other treatments might be planned.
 

Dr Chong's clinical work includes the diagnosis and surgical management of breast cancer. Depending on the situation, surgery may involve breast conservation, a mastectomy, or lymph node assessment. For some patients, conversations about additional treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy will also be part of the overall care plan.

Colorectal Cancer Surgery and Bowel Conditions

Colorectal cancer develops in the colon or rectum and may be picked up through symptoms, routine screening, or colonoscopy. Symptoms that are worth getting checked include blood in the stool, rectal bleeding, a noticeable change in bowel habits that does not go away, abdominal discomfort, unexplained tiredness, and unintentional weight loss.
 

If colorectal cancer is suspected or has been confirmed, a surgical assessment will usually look at colonoscopy results, imaging, where the tumour is located, how far the cancer has progressed, and how the patient is doing overall. Surgery may be part of the treatment plan when it is the right option for the patient.

What Patients May Expect During Surgical Assessment

A general surgery consultation is mainly about getting a full understanding of what the patient is experiencing. During the appointment, the surgeon may:

• Go through the patient's medical history and current symptoms

• Examine the area of concern where needed

• Review any imaging, biopsy, colonoscopy, or blood test results

• Talk through what the findings might mean

• Discuss whether surgery could be the right next step

• Explain what recovery might look like and what risks are involved

• Arrange follow-up care after the procedure
   

For patients with cancer, the surgical plan may also involve input from other doctors to work out whether surgery should happen before, during, or after other treatments.

Background and Current Appointments

Dr Chong completed his surgical training in Singapore, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, and holds Specialist Accreditation in Intensive Care Medicine.
 

He currently serves as a Member of the Singapore Medical Association, Clinical Senior Lecturer at NUS, Clinical Senior Lecturer at SAF, and Visiting Consultant at Changi General Hospital. In earlier roles, he was Associate Programme Director of SingHealth's Residency Programme from 2009 to 2012, Chairman of the Trauma Committee, and Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Changi General Hospital from 2007 to 2013.

When It Makes Sense to See a General Surgeon

There are different reasons why someone might seek or be referred for a general surgery review. In the context of Dr Chong's practice, this could include:

• A breast lump or something unusual found on a breast scan

• A confirmed breast cancer diagnosis that needs a surgical discussion

• Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding

• Bowel habits that have changed and are not getting better

• Colonoscopy findings such as polyps or lesions that need further review

• A confirmed colorectal cancer diagnosis requiring surgical input

• Other general surgical concerns that need to be looked into
   

These symptoms do not always mean cancer is present. However, they are generally worth having checked so that the cause can be identified and the next steps can be discussed with a doctor.

Where to Find Dr Chong

Dr Chong Chee Keong sees patients at Maven Surgery in Singapore. The clinic has three locations: Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Parkway East Medical Centre, and Farrer Park Medical Centre. You can get in touch by phone or WhatsApp at (+65) 6355 5285.
 

The clinic also supports international patients, including those who speak Bahasa Indonesia