CONCERNS OVER UNPROVEN TESTING

Heightened awareness around cancer has led more people in Singapore to seek screening, according to some hospitals.

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.

Medical practitioners attribute the trend to national health initiatives like Healthier SG, as well as greater awareness on social media.

But with more people seeking reassurance, doctors are warning against over-testing and the use of unproven methods.

“Sometimes it leads to more unnecessary tests, but it can be a good thing if something serious or preventable or treatable is found early,” said Dr Leow.

“Healthcare 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.”

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.

“The more tests you do, the more you incur unnecessary healthcare costs,” said Dr Tan.

Excessive testing can lead to false positives, where scans detect abnormalities that are not cancer, he added.

“These 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.”

Experts also caution against the growing availability of unproven cancer screening tests, some of which are marketed commercially.

Prof Ravindran said: “Without 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.”

For now, doctors recommend following evidence-backed methods such as the health ministry’s recommended cancer screening programmes for various age groups and genders.