One in two men here at risk of cancer

This Article is in Courtesy of the Straits Times - 26 SEPT 2002

This is because of two high-risk habits-smoking and drinking. The chance now is one in three for both men and women

By Liang Hwee Ting

HIGH-RISK habits, in particular, smoking and drinking, could see one in two Singaporean men developing cancer in the not-too-distant future.

The current probability of being hit with cancer here stands at one in three for both men and women.

But in 20 years' time, Singapore could go the way of the United States where half the male population get cancer during their lifetime.

Unlike the US, however, where there is a high rate of prostate cancer among men, Singapore men are most likely to develop lung, colorectal, stomach, liver and nasopharynx cancers.

Singapore will inch closer to the US pattern if Singaporeans do not watch their lifestyles and diet, said professor Soo Khee Chee, director of the National Cancer Center, yesterday.

Men, traditionally, are at higher risk because they tend to smoke and drink more, he said.

Alcohol consumption, plus the fact that Singapore men are prone to hepatitis, increase their risk of liver cancer.

Those who smoke are not only risk of lung cancer but also head, neck, stomach, pancreas, bladder and esophagus cancer, said Prof Soo.

Cancer is a growing health problem which affects 10 million people and causes six million deaths worldwide every year.

In Singapore, cancer is the leading cause of death and it claims more lives every year.

The death toll from cancer has inched up from 25.9 percent in 1998 to 26.6 percent in 2000 to 28 percent now.

Last year alone, there were almost 4,500 deaths from cancer.

'Unless there is a significant breakthrough, the number of people suffering from cancer is likely to increase further in the near future,' said Dr Lily Neo, chairman of the Government Parliamentary. Committee for health.

Fortunately, cancer survivor rates have also been rising-from as low as 20 percent in 1930, to 40 percent 10 years ago, to 62 percent now.

Many patients undergo a combination of treatments such as surgery, which is not always rosy, said Dr Neo.

Elaborated Prof Soo: 'Our approach has been mainly to eradicate the disease.

'But a patient still needs a lot of rehabilitation and emotional support after that.'

Here to make recommendations to the Health Ministry in the area of cancer rehabilitation this week is Captain Charles McGarvey III from the US National Institute of Health.

Giving his keynote address at the Singapore General Hospital's symposium on cancer management yesterday, Captain McGarvey emphasized the importance of exercise as part of the rehabilitative regime.

'People who have recovered from cancer often think they should not exercise,' he said.

'But based on a number of studies in the US, exercise has been known to improve both physical function and quality of life.'