The importance of Cancer Screening

Cancer symptoms often do not visibly present themselves until later or at an advanced stage of the disease. According to Singapore Registry Annual Report 2021, over the period 2018 – 2022, approximately 1 in 4 individuals potentially develop cancer in their lifetime, with the top 3 leading causes of cancer deaths as follows:

• Males – lung (24.4% of cancer deaths in males), colorectal (14.3%) (link to Colorectal Cancer Screening Page), liver (12.3%) (Link to Liver and Cardiovascular page)

• Females – breast (17.1% of cancer deaths in females) (link to Women’s Breast and Health Page Screening Page), colorectal (15.6%) (link to Colorectal Cancer Screening Page), lung (15.1%)

Statistics from the Ministry of Health Singapore revealed that an estimated 16 people die from cancer every day.

Many forms of cancer can be effectively treated, especially when caught early. This is where cancer screening plays a critical role. Regular screening not only helps to detect cancer at an early stage when it is most treatable, but also identify precancerous conditions that can be treated before they turn into cancer. In addition, it lowers healthcare costs by catching the disease before it becomes advanced, helping to improve one’s quality of life.