A Family Doctor's Tale - CANCER SCREENING

DOC DO I NEED CANCER SCREENING

Why do I need to go for cancer screening?

Cancer is the top killer in Singapore.
About one quarter of all deaths here are caused by cancer.

Our bodies are made up of billions of cells. Normal healthy cells grow and multiply in an orderly, controlled manner.

Cancer cells on the other hand multiply uncontrollably. They do not function normally and instead form a growth or tumour. These cancerous tumours can spread to nearby tissues and organs as well as to other parts of the body.


Cancer kills by:
1.Destroying important organs
2.Disturbing normal body functions
3.Blocking important blood vessels or air passages.

Not all cancers are the same


Cancer is really a group of diseases.

There are many types of cancer which can arise from the different types of cells in the body.

MOST COMMON TYPES OF CANCER IN SINGAPORE ARE:

Male
1.Lung
2.Colon & rectum
(large intestine)
3.Prostate
4.Liver
5.Stomach

Female
1.Breast
2.Colon & rectum
3.Lung
4.Ovary
5.Cervix
(neck of the womb)

Cancer can be prevented


Cancer is not contagious like the flu or chickenpox.


A person cannot catch cancer from someone who has it.


However some cancer can be inherited hence the need to prevent the cancer in people with a family history of cancer.

Many cancers develop because of lifestyle habits such as
1.smoking,


2.excessive drinking of alcohol


3.eating too much fat (especially animal fat).

4.sexual intercourse with multiple partners


Others are caused by factors in the environment such as
1.sunlight,


2.radiation


3.industrial chemicals.

4.bacterial infection like hylobacter pylori in stomach cancer

5.viral infections like hepatitis B and C, Epstein Barr virus in liver cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer


By leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding certain risk factors, about one-third of all cancers can be prevented from occurring.

Cancer can be cured


Many people are afraid of cancer because they think it is incurable. In fact, about one-third of all cancers can be cured if they are detected and treated early enough.


Recognising the early warning signs and going for regular check-ups can save your life if cancer strikes.

What is cancer screening?

Cancer screening consists of various tests and procedures done at regular intervals:
1.once a year
2.once in 2 years
3.once in 5 years
4.when a person reach a certain age

Who should go for cancer screening?

Cancer screening helps to discover if a person is suffering from cancer even though the person has no symptoms.

In particular cancer screening should be done if there is a family history of cancer.