By Poon Chian Hui

Are you over 50 years old? If you are, get screened for colorectal cancer.

This is because people above that age are at higher risk of getting the cancer, said Dr Francis Seow-Choen, a colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

More importantly, colorectal cancer - which affects the large intestine and the rectum - tops the list of the most common cancers affecting Singaporeans. Every year, about 1,400 Singaporeans are diagnosed with it.

However, it is highly curable. Last year, 123 lives were saved through the Singapore Cancer Society's (SCS) colorectal screening programme.

One reason for this is that colorectal cancer can be easily detected during screening, said Dr Seow-Choen.

This is because the tumours occur on the surface of the intestines and are therefore highly visible, he said.

'If nothing is observed, you can be almost completely sure that you don't have colorectal cancer,' he added.

This is unlike other kinds of cancer, such as breast cancer, where deep-set or tiny growths may sometimes go undetected in a mammogram.

In addition, colorectal cancer develops very slowly. Polyps, which are benign abnormal growths in the colon, can take two to 10 years to turn cancerous, said Dr Seow-Choen.

'Early screening allows ample time for these polyps to be removed and reduces the chances of one getting cancer in the future,' he said.

It is also never too late to get screened.

Even advanced colorectal cancer is curable if the cancerous cells have not spread to other parts of the body, said Professor John Zalcberg, a visiting medical oncologist from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

Colorectal cancer is currently the third most common cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. However, it is the most prevalent one in Singapore.

In males, it is the most common, while in females, it ranks second, behind breast cancer.

However, this was not always the case. Less than a decade ago, colorectal cancer was ranked second for Singaporean males, behind lung cancer.

The reason for its rise? Affluence.

'Colorectal cancer is becoming more frequent because our lifestyle has changed,' said Prof Zalcberg.

'Nowadays, people are eating more but are less active,' he said. 'We are also eating less fruits and vegetables, which is said to help reduce the risk of the cancer.'

What makes screening vital for colorectal cancer is that its symptoms are often either hard to detect or do not appear till the later stages.

Warning signs include blood in the stools or a change in bowel habits, said Prof Zalcberg. However, they are easy to miss.

'The bleeding could be very slight and you can't really detect it,' he said. 'Or people might think it's because of haemorrhoids.'

A haemorrhoid is an inflammation of blood vessels in the rectum or anus that can cause bloody stools.

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