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Heightened awareness around cancer has led more people in Singapore to seek screening, according to some hospitals.<\/p>\n
Over the past year, Tan Tock Seng Hospital saw about 40 per cent more people going for cancer check-ups. These are largely for common cancers such as colorectal, breast and cervical cancer.<\/p>\n
Medical practitioners attribute the trend to national health initiatives like Healthier SG, as well as greater awareness on social media.<\/p>\n
But with more people seeking reassurance, doctors are warning against over-testing and the use of unproven methods.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it leads to more unnecessary tests, but it can be a good thing if something serious or preventable or treatable is found early,\u201d said Dr Leow.<\/p>\n
\u201cHealthcare resources are finite. So we want to avoid over-diagnosis or over-treatment, but we also want to avoid missing early treatable conditions that can affect someone’s lifespan, such as cancer. So I think there’s an intricate balance.\u201d<\/p>\n
NCIS has seen roughly 20 per cent more people going for cancer screenings since the COVID-19 pandemic. It calls for more public education to prevent over-testing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more tests you do, the more you incur unnecessary healthcare costs,\u201d said Dr Tan.<\/p>\n
Excessive testing can lead to false positives, where scans detect abnormalities that are not cancer, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese can actually be quite debilitating to patients because it causes them to be very anxious and they might not be able to lead their lives properly after that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Experts also caution against the growing availability of unproven cancer screening tests, some of which are marketed commercially.<\/p>\n
Prof Ravindran said: \u201cWithout the data to support the use of these tests, what’s going to happen is a lot of times, we will just end up with a very anxious population.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, doctors recommend following evidence-backed methods such as the health ministry’s recommended cancer screening programmes for various age groups and genders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n